Anthro Evolution
by Justin O'Toole
Summary: This story takes place some time after the events in the fan fiction Outcast Bandicoot 3 so some characters are copyright to Tara Cross and her friends/rightful owners. This story contains scenes of violence, torture and swearing! Feel free to review.
1. Author notes

**Anthro Evolution**

(the title is the hardest thing to think of (open to suggestions for a better one)

Author's note: This is in English (UK)

I got the idea for this story after reading the Outcast Bandicoot series by Tara Cross. The story takes place a few months after OB3 but before the Lost Bandicoot series was added to the Outcast Bandicoot series. If you want to read the stories up to the events in this one just go to www(dot)outcastbandicoot(dot)xtremeisland(dot)com and read all the outcast bandicoot stories just up to the end of 'Outcast Bandicoot 3'.

The story includes a theory about the crystals and their involvement with the earth's 'ley lines and how the islands and Madame Amberley's academy for e.v.i.l (Eductaion of Villainous and Intellectual Learners) has remained hidden from the outside world. I also thought I would expand on some of the characters such as Tropy being from the future and us not really knowing that much about him or what he used to do in the future before he made his time machine and why his skin was blue. I also put some story into Neo when he was younger and how an event that happened at the academy will lead to his downfall (?). I guess I've put quite a bit of realism in the story explaining why the islands have never been discovered by the Australian or New Zealand navy, or by any satellites, until now and how they got around the world in previous adventures without being noticed.

Please let me know what you readers think and if there are any artists from Deviant Art who happen read this and get any ideas from this story feel free to do illustrations just be sure to let me know and mention where you got the idea from.

Story update 3/03/09:

I am currently reconstructing the entire story layout because after thinking about it, i don't think anyone would want to read a story continuously for 30000 words or so, so I am going to give each scene its own chapter but they'll have no title.

Story update 8/3/09:

Ok I have finally finished part one now and I'm working on part two. Hope you enjoy it and please feel free to review.

PLEASE R+R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	2. Story and Character prologue

**Prologue  
**

**1972 at the academy of D.I.S.A.T(Development In Science And Technology)**

The bell rang to mark the end of one lesson and the beginning of another, students were swiftly moving in and out of the classroom doors. An adult was amongst them and seemed walking looking for someone. He was very tall and had very pale grey skin, he had a very distinctive black goatee that covered his chin, black, thin eyebrows and his eyes were bright green. He was carrying a photo of a student, who he saw being dragged into a bathroom by a group of bullies. He entered the bathroom to see the pupil having his head shoved down a toilet. One of the pupils noticed the visitor.

"What do you want old man?" One of them asked.

"Just to speak with your good friend here." The visitor said in a very clear English (not British, his accent is very unique and it is unclear as to where he is from) accent.

"Whatever, we're done with him anyway, aren't we guys?" The two other bullies pulled him out of the toilet with piss dripping down his face.

"Aww little Neo's all wet, hah, what a dweeb." The bully on the right said and the other two agreed with laughter.

"Even the teachers think you're pathetic joke, you know that?" Neo did not respond. The bullies then left the visitor with the victim. He got up off the floor and went to the sink to wash his face. The visitor had another look at the photo to confirm his target, he had his hand inside his jacket ready to pull out a silenced gun 'Maybe it really _is_ for the best' he thought to himself. He then noticed the second name on one of the boy's books read 'Cortex'.

"What is your name?" the visitor asked him.

"It's Neo Cortex."

'Cortex?' the visitor thought.

"Who wants to know?"

"Never mind." Neo then took out an antique gold watch to check the time. The visitor was surprised at the site of it and took his hand out of his jacket without the gun. The visitor then quickly left the bathroom confused and did not even take another look at the boy before disappearing around a corner to never be seen again.

**1985. Typical Friday night at Mt Napier University** (located in the fictional town of Napier Peak, this is of course located near the dormant volcano Mt Napier.)

Two college students, a young quite thin and pale skinned man in his early twenties and a girl of similar age with long brunette hair and brown eyes left a big dorm where a party was going on. They headed down a corridor stepping over passed out students and avoiding others puking on the floor. They were both quite drunk and looking for somewhere private. "Hey what about the llab, no one ever goesh there *hic*." The man said.

"Ok, ash long ash no one findsh us." They entered a lab normally used for lectures and lessons laughing and giggling. "Oh Neo, I love sho much, I want to be with you. Lets make love!"

"Sure thhhing Vicky babe, jush remember I'm not to sure if I want thish relationship to be a *drunk pause* sherioush one ok?"

"Enough talking lets do this already!"

(The author will not do a ridiculously long list of characters but instead do a character prologue to fill in the gaps between Outcast Bandicoot 3 and this story)

**Character prologue:**

Coco- One day the Australian government needed to use her online dating service to track down a terrorist. Unfortunately they realised she had been stealing internet space when they tried to reward her for her cooperation so she was given a warning instead (just an excuse not to give money) and had her service shut down but agreed not to track her down, (as if they could).

Dingodile- stopped trying to travel the seas like he always wanted to because of the risk of being discovered by humans.

Vin Vixen-is no longer with Dingodile so she met Jaseo at the Moulin cortex and let him do all the work while she stayed at home 'looking after' the house.

Dr Nathan Ginsfield (preferred just 'NGin')- The anthros no longer tease him as much so he gets along with them a little better, especially his own. It took him a while to move on from the loss of his former friend Neo. Aku noticed this so he decided to take him back in time as an entity to show him how the mortar prototype really got lodged in his head. (I thought I would change the missile or rocket to a Homing Mortar prototype.)

(every character in the story are © to their rightful owners)


	3. Part One chapter 1

**Sydney 2005**

Nina was on her way back to the hotel from shopping with her classmates who had more money to spend. She wore black gloves as part of her gothic style to hide her metallic hands. She was heading down a street when she noticed a boy of her age being surrounded by a group of thugs. They forced him into an alley to rob him, Nina saw he was in trouble and followed. They were just about to mug him until Nina stepped forward.

"You call _that_ robbing someone?" The four youths turned around.

"You what?" The leader said.

"Here, let me show how to_ really_ mug someone, firstly you grab them by the collar or lapels like this," Nina went up to the boy and held him up by his jacket against a wall. "Then you give them a little one-on-one persuasion," she then brought him closer to her, sneakily slipped her hotel room key in his pocket and whispered in his ear "pretend to give me something and meet me at the Claxton hotel room 333." The kid easily caught on that she was helping her and put out a clenched hand, she took what was not there and put it into her pocket. She then pushed him past the youths allowing him to escape. "you see boys _that_ is how to rob someone." The youths all looked at each other then examined Nina and nodded in agreement.

"I don't what the flaming hec just happened there but because you let him get away you aint going nowhere until we're done with ya." The leader of them said. He gestured to the other youths to restrain and undress her. Before they got close enough she extended her hands into the leader's crotch making him bend over in pain. The rest of them stood back in shock before running off. The one on the ground was still coughing in pain, he slowly got up looking at her with disgust.

"What the hec are you, you freak?!? *cough*" Nina just grinned back at him.

"The next time you even think about robbing someone remember how painful it was the last time." He said nothing and slowly limped out of the alley.


	4. Chapter 2

Nina knocked on her room door and the boy she helped earlier answered with a towel rapped around his waist.

"You're back already? I would have thought you would at least be in hospital."

"They weren't really that much of a problem."

"I hope you didn't mind me using your shower, it's been a while since I last had one."

"I could smell that earlier."

"You really didn't have to help me back there you know."

"And let them rob you?"

"There's nothing to rob anyway, I'm surprised they didn't hurt you."

"Let's just say he shouldn't be bothering you again any time soon."

"Oh so you'll be coming with me everywhere I go from now on then since that will not be the last I ever see of him."

"Have you had trouble in the past?"

"When don't I, today had been a bad day to work which is why I didn't have anything on me anyway," He noticed Nina's confused expression. "never mind, you wont understand."

"So where do you live?"

"Many places, look I wish I could stay but I really need to go."

"Aww but we've only just met, what's your name anyway?"

"Josh."

"Hi Josh I'm Nina. Can I at least walk home with you?"

"OK but it's getting late and I don't exactly live in the nicest part of town."

"That's OK, I managed with those thugs didn't I?"

"I don't know, it doesn't seem that they had their way with you like they would have so I guess you got lucky somehow." After Josh finished drying and put his clothes back on they both left the room and headed down the lifts. When they got to the foyer Josh stopped and quickly turned back behind a corner.

"What's wrong?" Nina asked.

"Er, is there a back exit?"

"I don't think so, there's an open area with a pool round back though, why what is it?" Nina then saw two cops in the foyer showing staff a photo of Josh. "Why are they after you?"

"Let's just say we're not exactly friends. Take me to the pool area." The both ran down a corridor and out a door.

"You two, Stop!" A cop had noticed them run past the opening to the foyer.

"This way!" Nina said, they ran through a door leading out to the pool area.

"Lets try that utility shed over there." Josh pointed to a shed at the far end of the open area next to the perimeter wall. When they got there the shed was still too high for them to get on top of.

"I can help you but you must promise not to freak out OK."

"Whatever, just get me the heck out a here!" The cops came through the same door and turned on their torches. Nina extended her hands to pull herself up onto the roof, she turned around then extended them to Josh. He froze at the sight of them.

"Come on! I'll explain later!" Josh then held onto to her hands as she lifted him up. Once they were both on the roof the cops shone their torches onto them.

"How long will you keep running for, Mr Cobolt?" One of the cops shouted. Nina and Josh did not stop to respond. They jumped over the wall into woodland on the outskirts of the city and ran towards a bridge where a river that ran under a motorway. They stopped to take a breather.

"That was close." Josh said.

"You better hope they won't recognize me when I go back."

"It's ok, just tell them I took advantage of you or something."

"Did you?"

"Not intentionally, and you did choose to help me remember."

"Why are they after you anyway and why did that cop call you 'Cobolt'?"

"We have history and I may have, borrowed a few things from some people and not given them back yet."

"Typical, there I was thinking I was helping a victim." Josh frowned.

"Hey, you don't know what it's like living on the streets ok."

"That explains a few things, so where will you go?"

"I don't know, I'll find somewhere like I always do."

"So what happened, did you run away from home?"

"Never really had a proper home, I was an orphan hopping from one centre to another, my last one closed down because the same company that owns the hotel you're staying at bought the place and turned it into a warehouse. Anyway, enough about me what happened to your hands?" Nina shyly looked away.

"My Uncle, he gave them to me when I was young."

"Why?"

"He never liked the idea of letting me have friends."

"That's sick."

"I'm surprised you didn't run off as soon as you saw them."

"I've seen much worse things believe me. So I guess this is goodbye."

"Wait, you said you don't really have a home."

"Yeah, so."

"So why not come back with me?"

"I've been through adoptions before, they don't really work out."

"Its ok, I stay at an academy on a remote island in the southern Tasman Sea. I'm sure my headmistress can give you a somewhere to stay, and we can see more of each other." Josh smiled a bit.

"An island you say?"

"Yes, and it's literally cut off from the rest of the world."

"I don't know, will your headmistress allow it?"

"I'm sure she will, you may have to meet her first though."

"What's she like?"

"Ok, just whatever you do, don't make her angry, if she asks you a question be sure to find the most selfish and wrong answer."

"Um Ok, give me an example."

"Er, I know, if she asks you something like 'Where do you see yourself in ten years' answer something like 'Above you, or head of a powerful and unethical organisation'. And 'What do you do if you're working in a bad job where your colleagues treat you like crap all the time and you one day win more money than the company has ever made in some competition or lottery?"

"Do I tell her that I would buy the company out and fire all the people who treated me like crap?"

"You already sound like a natural evil genius."

"'Evil Genius' Sounds like some crappy kid's story."

"I know, Madame Amberly's a bit insane. Tell you what, meet me at the Von Hendrausen Private Port, tomorrow at nine am, you can meet my headmistress then."

"Will we be sailing there?"

"No, our school in a small sea and land plane, you ok with flying?"

"Yeah, I've never been on one before. Where is the port?"

"Just get a cab and it'll take you there, I'll pay the driver when you arrive."

"Ok."

"See you tomorrow then."

"Bye."

"Bye." Josh went down the river towards the city and Nina snuck back to the hotel unaware that Mideline had been watching the two of them the whole time from afar.


	5. Chapter 3

When Nina got back to her room Amberly was there waiting for her.

"Vhat the hell have you been up to wis zat child?"

"We met each other when trying to rob someone." Amberly looked at her with both satisfaction and disappointment.

"Even though it is good that you are exercising your lies, I would prefer it if you keep a low profile in future, you are lucky I managed to convince ze authorities zat you were fooled by the boy into going wis him. He is everythingk you students are educated into not becoming you see, getting caught and ending up on ze run."

"I need to ask you something miss."

"Vat?"

"That boy, his name is Josh Cobalt and he is also an orphan and he doesn't really have anywhere to go."

"Vat, you vant him to come back to ze academy? Out of ze qvestion!"

"But he's really mean! And he has told many ways in which he wants to change the world for his own personal gain." Amberly raised her brow.

"No, its too risky, ve don't know who he is or vhere he is from, he could even be a trap sent to find you students vhile visiting here."

"Who would want to do that?"

"Very powerful and gveedy people and I do not mean ze kind who vere vance like you students, (Amberly glanced at the logo '_Claxton_' on one of the pillows) But who is to pay for his education hm?"

"Maybe a scholarship?"

"The academy doesn't do scholarships, I would also have to do backvound check first, see if he is who he says he is and vat place could he have at ze academy?"

"Perhaps an assistant or he could help Derek with security or maybe he could be our first… voluntary human test subject."

"Because you are my best student I'll sink about it ok, I vud like to meet him first."

"Ok."

"Anyvay get some sleep now, the flight back to ze academy is at ten am, I do not vant you to be late."

"Yes miss."

"Badnight."

"Badnight." Nina smiled after Amberly left the room hoping that she will get to see Josh again.


	6. Chapter 4

Josh was waiting with the cab driver at the security gate to the airstrip. A black minibus turned up, the security guard approached the teacher who was driving.

"This kid says he's with you lot."

"He does does he? What's your name kid?"

"Josh Cobolt." The teacher turned to Nina who was looking out a tinted window.

"Is that the boy?"

"Yeah that's Josh."

"Yeah he's with us, (the cab driver then approached the driver) ah yes how much do we owe you?"

"Thirty-four." Nina handed the teacher the money and he gave it to the driver. The security guard raised the barrier and Josh followed the bus to the dock where the plane was waiting. As Josh walked towards the big woman he saw entering the plane carrying something big under a black canvas, the teacher who was driving the bus went up to him.

"Hold it, I need to check you first." The teacher got out a black bug scanner and checked Josh's entire body. "You can never be too careful these days. Sorry, I'm Dr Kinden, I'm head of Politics at the academy and in charge of security when on school trips. Madame Amberly will be with you shortly." Amberly came over from the plane.

"Zat will be all Doctor." She said and Dr Kinden got on the plane with the rest of the students apart from Nina who was waiting by the door. "So, Mr Cobolt. I vead your criminal record and it said zat you have been avested for burglary, breaking and entering, attempted mugging, three counts of carrying a concealed veapon and vanted for questioning regarding an arson. Now I wont vaste time to see if you're ze right kind of person I should allow to be a student vhen zere is no one to pay for your tuition so I vud like to propose somzing else to you."

"I'm listening."

"I understand zat you have become acquainted vith my top student Miss Cortex."

"Well we only just met yesterday."

"It does not matter. You see Nina is growing up to be quite ze evil (Josh tried not to roll his eyes in case Amberly spotted him) young woman zat her Uncle vants and it vont be long until she graduates from ze academy and I fear zat as with my former pupils life can be qvite lonely at times."

"So what do you want me to do?"

"Vhat I vant is for you to be zere for her as she vas for you and because she hasn't been ze same ever since a close friend of her's left."

"I don't know, I like her but we barely know each other."

"I'm not giving you permission to be her 'boyfriend'. Nina has never really had another relative other than her Uncle zat she hardly gets to see so I would like for you to be her 'brother', to look out for her, be zere for her vhen she needs someone. Unfortunately ze academy does not have ze funding for counselling."

"Ok and can you do something in return for me?"

"Vhat?" Josh got out a gold locket from around his neck and gave it to Amberly. It had a photo of a woman with long brunette hair and brown eyes smiling the other half of it was empty.

"I believe that this is my birth mother, it was the only thing she left with me when she gave me up for adoption."

"Vhat vas ze name of ze orphanage?"

"St Nicolas orphanage in Sydney before it was closed down and replaced by an industrial research building."

"Ah yes, ze same vone zat you tried to burn down."

"I'll be sure to do a better job next time."

"Perhaps if you stay at ze academy long enough you may pick up a sing or two about being able to burn a place down wizout any suspicion at all."

"Do you think you'll be able to find my mum then?"

"If you choose to come."

"Ok, I will then."

"I must make it clear to you zat vonce you come wiz us you will not be able to return to ze mainland on your own accord, do you know vat zis means?."

"No."

"It means zat you vill never be able to see your mother even if we do find her dead or alive, you'll have to vait ten years before you can leave, just like everyone else."

"Why's that?"

"Because it is literally impossible to do so, ze only people who know how to leave are myself and my deputies. I'm not saying zat ve vill imprison you, I'm just saying zat if you ever wish to leave ze islands no vone from ze academy vill help you. I can guarantee zat you most definitely vont be able to make it to ze mainland vhatever form of transport you use. However if you do leave and do somehow make it back to Australia and try to expose us, firstly no vone vill believe you and secondly you'll last no longer zen twenty-four hours. Even though I'm evil I still have to take responsibility for ze vellbeing of my pupils and if zat means tying up loose ends then so be it. New people have to vait ten years before zey can leave so anyone (if any) has given up looking for zem."

"Well I don't think I'll be able to find her at all on my own anyway but if no one would believe me then why bother?"

"Because zere are some people who vill believe you and use you to find me and/or ze academy."

"Who are they, the government?"

"Vorse, and it is better if you don't know who zey are."

"So if I can't attend lessons what will I do there?"

"You vill vork for my head of security at ze academy, Derick Thylacine. You can earn your stay at ze academy and perhaps a small allowance."

"Never heard of someone to be named after an animal before."

"Zat is because he literally is vone."

"What?"

"He vas vonce human but I made him into an anthro at his request. (Josh looked confused.) He is not ze only vone, Nina grew up wis zem ven she vas very young, I heard you vere not zat bozered vhen you saw Nina's hands so can I trust you zat you vont freak out vhen you see anthros?"

"What are they?"

"Highly evolved bipedal animals, zey can talk as vell."

"Sounds interesting."

"You actually believe me, you don't sink such a sing would not be possible?"

"Oh I was I was surprised when I saw Nina's robotic hands, just not freaked out because I have seen things that can change a man's perspective on life."

"Vhat happened?"

"I would say it is far beyond your definition of 'evil'. So, can I come? All I've got is one other set of clothes in this bag."

"Before you do, is zere anyvone ozer zan ze law who are expecting you? Because you vill not be able to see zem for a very long time."

"Not really."

"Good, vell ze plane vont be here forever." The two of them got on the plane.

"I wasn't sure if you would come." Nina said to Josh.

"I wasn't sure you were telling the truth."


	7. Chapter 5

**November 2007**

NGin and Tropy were getting along recently and decided to go on a voyage together to collect penguin test subjects for Brio's new experiments. Tropy had also mysteriously lost the ability to time travel freely, he doesn't know why so he just assumed the Time-crystal in his arm-wrist device had run out of power and will one day find the time to look for another. This has led him to develop a bigger interest in Brio's and NGin's experiments to occupy himself. Josh was welcomed into the academy but only works there helping out Derek with security and general maintenance. Josh and Nina were also very good friends and he didn't mind being with the anthros that were there.

NGin and Tropy were both in the canteen finishing a meal that Rusty had made.

"Mmm, thanks Rusty." NGin said putting his cutlery together on the plate.

"Your welcome sir, for dinner I've got lobster alright?" Rusty replied with his Somerset accent.

"Ooh my favourite!" NGin said.

"Will we ever have anything other than fish?" Tropy asked.

"We're at sea so what do you expect?"

"The occasional beef or chicken, it would not hurt to have a better galley installed would it?"

"If the galley was any bigger it would mean less room for my weapons."

"_that only seem to be there for show_" Tropy murmured.

"What?!?"

"Nothing." NGin looked at him suspiciously.

"Why did you want to change the location where we got the penguins from?"

"*sigh* Have you not thought of the consequences of a huge unidentified ship with ridiculous missile launchers and canons sticking out everywhere and highly evolved rhinos, someone with a steam engine on his back and a midget with a mortar sticking out of his head capturing penguins on a public beach would have."

"But we would get there at night and be gone before anyone noticed."

"You fool! You have no idea how many ships pass around the Cape Peninsula every hour at night do you? You know what, forget it, I really can not be bothered explaining something so simple to you."

"The ship's electromagnetic engines would have hidden the ship."

"It still would have been too risky because the engines would not have been able to stay on long enough," The ship was travelling through the ice caps breaking some on the way until they hit the main body of ice bringing the ship to halt. "Finally! I was wondering when that automatic sailor of yours was going to get us there!"

"Its only been a day or two."

"Still, it feels like forever."

"Let's go have a look shall we?" NGin put on some Arctic gear then they both went to the main deck and saw they had hit a huge iceberg with a flat bottom around it that the ship had broken through up to the main peak of the iceberg. There were bits of metal and debris sticking out of the ice. NGin knew this must be the remains of Cortex's iceberg lab. "If Cortex is still here he's most likely already dead, I doubt he would survived the cold for long."

"Who the hell cares about Cortex?!?"

"I thought he was the reason you decided to come."

"That pathetic fool? No."

"Then why are you here?"

"The Penguins that Brio asked for."

"Are you really interested in our experiments?"

"Times change." The two of them lowered a ramp and started exploring the ice cap. They decided to split up a bit but not too far in case something happened. *THOK!* NGin looked down at the ice and noticed he had just kicked something wooden. He bent down a brushed the top snow away to reveal Uka's mask half submerged in the ice.

"Tropy! I've found your friend!" Tropy quickly came over in response.

"Where? Let me see!"

"Here, doesn't seem to be any life in him though."

"I'll be the judge of that, why not go and look for Cortex if you're bothered or just find the penguins we came here for." NGin went to the main concentration of the lab's debris while Tropy got out his turning fork and carefully began breaking the ice around the mask. He eventually got it free but its lifelessness became more apparent. He tried shaking it a bit "Come on, wake up!" he yelled to it.

NGin found a lump of snow standing out quite clearly at the base of the peak. He went over and poked it with his foot, he noticed the lump of snow had turned to solid ice. He thought there was something more to it so he got a piece of metal lying around and began using it to scrape away at it. Unsurprisingly he found Neo Cortex still holding onto a piece of metal sticking out of the ice with his eyes squinting and his mouth open as if he had frozen instantly. He looked at Neo's corpse for a while in deep thought, probably looking back over the years. He finally smiled a bit knowing that he would no longer have to put up with him and his mad plans. He continued round the island and was satisfied to find the penguins loitering on the ice and in the water fishing. He decided to check how Tropy was doing.

"Any luck?"

"None yet, I'm starting to think his soul has moved on."

"Are you sure you want to bring him back? I mean he's more evil than Cortex and I can imagine what he'll be like when he returns after spending all this time like an ice cube."

"I have to, I owe it to him."

"Really, Why?"

"A long story that I will _not_ tell you some time."

"Ooook." Suddenly out of nowhere black clouds appeared above them. "That's odd." NGin said.

"You best back off a bit I think I know what is going to happen." Tropy held the mask up higher to the sky. As NGin stepped back looking up at the flashing clouds a bolt of black lightning struck the mask throwing Tropy into the snow, he was slightly stunned but did not look as surprised as NGin. The mask's eyes lit up, it raised a few feet in the air looking around before seeing Tropy and NGin. Uka Uka was back.

"It's about time someone found me! Where have you been?!?"

"We've been carrying on with life without you that's what." NGin said. Uka frowned.

"Tropy, I strongly suggest you make this freak here know his place before I teach him some respect!" Tropy then got his fork and jabbed the mortar sticking out of his head making scream in pain.

"You behave yourself now, understood?" NGin replied with a dirty look in submission.

"Where is Cortex?" Uka demanded.

"He's frozen in the ice round there, I don't see what use he is dead." NGin said

"Show me!" Uka demanded and the two of them followed . When they got to his body NGin scraped more of the top ice away revealing more of his corpse.

"His body is still intact, right, I'm going to melt the ice around him then you two are to carry him back to the ship _carefully_, if one crack forms it could go right through the ice and his body giving us unwanted mess to clean up afterwards even if he does still survive. I shouldn't be long." Uka said and proceeded to melt the ice with his laser power.

"I'll go get some of 's minions from the ship to help us carry it. , you go get what we came here for."

"You mean what _I_ came here for, so _this_ is why you wanted to come to Antarctica instead."

"Well done Sherlock now do what I tell you before rip that thing out myself!" Tropy said gesturing towards his mortar. "And I still would have made you come here even if it was not for Uka." NGin said nothing and returned to the ship and sent out some minions, four with tranquillisers to collect the penguins and two more with a cage on a flat-bed trolley. An hour later the minions returned with two families of penguins and Cortex was loaded up onto the trolley next to the cage.

"Take cortex to the freezer in the galley immediately! It is important that we keep him frozen, the thawing of his body is a very delicate process." Uka warned them. The minions looked at each other as if to say 'Who the hell does he think he is? Giving us orders'. NGin was watching from the main deck.

"Do as he says!" NGin shouted. The minions returned to 's ship without question. Uka and Tropy waited a bit before following.

"So where have you been?" Tropy asked.

"Nowhere." Replied Uka. Tropy remembered that 'Nowhere' was in fact somewhere between different realities.

"The Hyperspace temple?"

"Its location has been moved."

"Do you know how long you've been gone?"

"Of course I do! And I've spent that time making my new plan and I will need your former field of expertise. You will need to find a way to the main land and into Sydney. I'll explain further details on the way back."

"And what about Cortex?"

"You do not need to worry about him, I just need him alive."


	8. Chapter 6

While they were away Brio was working in his lab at his castle (formerly Cortex's) with his assistant Megumi.

"Megumi."

"Yes?"

"Would like to get us some coffee?"

"Ok"

"Thanks" She left the lab and went to the en-suite kitchen in the staff room up the stairs from Brio's lab. She was heading back down the stairs with two mugs and biscuits on a tray when she heard a glasses smashing and a thump.

"Doctor? Are you ok?" She reached the doorway to the lab to see Brio hap collapsed on the floor. "Doctor!" She screamed and dropped the tray letting everything smash on the floor as she ran over to him. "Doctor what's happened?!?"

"Mmmmmeg, whatsh hhhapning?" he said faintly with a confused expression. Megumi then noticed half of his face was different from the other.

"Its ok Doctor, I'm here now. BOB RESPOND!!" she shouted and the *elite-bot came running into the lab.

"Awaiting further command" said the robot with its robotic voice.

"Quick, help me get him to the infirmary." The robot quickly grabbed Brio's body and took him up the stairs to the infirmary. More robots specially programmed for medical response were waiting for them. Brio was taken to an operating theatre and stabilised before being moved to a ward. Bob then reported to megumi.

"Well? What happened?" she demanded.

"The subject's neurological responses have been disrupted causing paralysis on the left side of his body."

"Ok, so what caused his stroke?"

"It appears the subjects brain suffered an increase in blood pressure causing a blood vessel to burst.

"So what have you done about it?"

"Surgery was a success, I was able to release the pressure on the brain by making an incision on the skull."

"So you drilled into his skull?!?"

"Affirmative, but unfortunately the subject will need further examination to determine the cause of the increase in blood pressure, unfortunately the facility does not have the resources to do so."

"So he will need to go an outside hospital?"

"Affirmative or a facility with the required equipment. I have taken the liberty of finding a neurologist in mainland Australia, a Doctor Richard Kelly, he is currently located in the capital: Sydney. I have uploaded his contact details onto the system hard drive awaiting your disposal." Megumi smiled.

"You lot really are amazing do you know that?"

"I am sorry, I do not understand."

"Never mind, thank you for what you've done."

"I am sorry, I do not understand." Megumi then remembered Brio saying Cortex had made make sure Bob and all the lab assistants were not programmed to recognise gratitude.

"Do you know when he will be conscious again?" The robot paused for a second while it checked the internal network.

"The subject's responses are reactivating, the subject will soon be conscious."

"You are dismissed." She said. The robot then left and went to a charge point. Megumi entered the ward and went up to Brio. "Doctor?" He slowly opened his eyes and looked around the room.

"Whe, where am I?"

"You're in the infirmary, you had a stroke Doctor."

"Who am I?"

"You're Doctor Nitrus Brio."

"That's that's not my name dammit. Why does everyone keep calling me that just because I invented my own formula. For the last time My name's Dr Nick Brio. You said I had a stroke, but I'm only seventeen. How long have I been out?"

"About three hours, they had to operate on you to keep you alive."

"Wait, what year is it?"

"I'm sorry Nick, its 2003."

"What, but that's..." Brio shook his head in disbelief and his heart monitor started beeping rapidly. A medi-bot came into the room a quickly stabilised him again. Megumi stood back in horror. After it had finished Brio had again passed out, Bob came running back to Megumi.

"Dr Brio's heart start to fail. Fortunately I was monitoring the situation and sent a medi-bot to re-stabilize the Doctor, unfortunately he has now entered a coma, it is unclear when he will wake up. The doctor will benefit from this rest until he has recovered enough to visit a neurologist."

"You are dismissed." She tried to remember not to say thank you in case she confused it again. Bob turned and went back to its post. While Brio was in his coma Megumi found it hard to concentrate on her work because every minute she thought could be Brio's last. She thought about him saying his name was Nick and that he had never asked her to call him that before. Every night and most of the day she would spend time at his bedside waiting for him to wake up and often spoke to him hoping that he would hear her. Eventually two days later her patience paid off and Brio finally started to come round. Bob observed through a window after monitoring Brio's condition through the system.

"Me-Megumi? Whe-where am I? The last thing I remember was I was in the lab then I got a headache. What happened?"

"Oh Nick. I-"

"What did you just say?"

"I called you Nick, that is your name right?" Brio then smiled.

"No one's called me that in years, how did you know?"

"You called yourself that about two days ago, you also thought you were seventeen."

"That's odd. So what happened?"

"You had a stroke, Bob said a blood vessel burst so he had to drill into your head to release the pressure, but its better now, they've patched you up but your head may still feel numb for a while. Bob also gave me contact details for Australia's top neurologist, perhaps it would be best if you go and see him. I can book an appointment if you like?"

"Wow, yes I suppose you're right, but I'll sort it out I don't want you to worry about this anymore than you already have," Brio slowly got out of bed stretching and turned to Megumi. "Now how about that coffee?" Megumi smiled and left to make some more. Bob had already disappeared. Brio had a shower then went to the communications room to make the outside call.

*Bob deceided to upgrade himself to an elite so he could be a bit more independent.


	9. Chapter 7

NGin's ship was now returning back to the Wumpa Islands and Cortex's frozen body had been taken to a spare food storage room to defrost.

"How much can the temperature change in this room?" Uka asked Salty.

"Anything from freezin to cookin."

"At every hour starting from now I want you to raise the room's temperature by three degrees until all the ice has gone, then just leave it and let one of us know," Salty nodded with a bit of fear. "I want you to keep an eye on it until he has fully defrosted understood?" Salty nodded again and Uka left. Four hours later all the ice had finally melted. Salty then called NGin on the intercom from his kitchen.

"Doctor, Cortex's body has defrosted, you may want to tell the others."

"I think they already do because they're here with me."

"Is there any blood?" Tropy shouted out.

"There don't seem to be, you may want to hurry and do with him what you need to before his body starts to rot and stink out my kitchen."

"Ok thanks for letting us know." NGin said. They all started to make their way down to Cortex. Uka was of course already waiting for them as he can teleport. Tropy and NGin arrived to see Uka was zapping Cortex with some sort of bright yellow energy slowly bringing back colour to Cortex's skin. Cortex suddenly sat up with a huge gasp and bulging eyes, he was breathing heavily than began to shiver wildly before slowing down and passing out.

"He's suffering hypothermia." NGin said.

"Well don't just stand there!!! Do something about it before we lose him again!" Uka shouted. NGin called a medi-bot from the ship's infirmary with a handheld device. Tropy grabbed the coat off NGin and threw it over Cortex. The medi-bob soon entered the room.

"Medi-bot awaiting further command."

"I don't care what you do, you keep him alive!" Uka said to the robot. The medi-bot then got out a needle and injected heated water into Cortex's arm. He was still too cold and confused to feel anything or respond in anyway, Cortex was then carried by the robot to the infirmary to recover. Uka and the medi-bot observed Cortex as he slowly recovered, once he was conscious enough Uka entered the ward. NGin was busy working in his lab on the ship.

"Wait outside Tropy, I wish to speak privately with him first." Uka entered the ward.

"What happened, where am I?" Cortex asked Uka.

"You are on NGin's ship, you had been frozen again after your last screw up, and don't think I had no idea what was going on while you left me in the ice the last time. You are just lucky I would not been able to have any influence on the situation anyway." Cortex seemed to look away with fear as he got out of the bed. "And I want it to be clear to you that the only reason you have been brought back is because for the first time in your pathetic life you being alive may actually have some value for once." Cortex rolled his eyes.

"So what now?"

"Now, you are to carry on as normal when we get back, think of some crappy 'take over the world' scheme I don't care just do whatever it is you do until further notice."

"It sounds like you are already doing that yourself."

"My intentions are none of your concern, understood?!?" Neo nodded.

"But why did you bring me back?"

"I'm not at liberty to say." This surprised because Neo has always known Uka to have no limitations to anything. Tropy was unsure what was being said but after Uka left him decided he didn't really have anything to say to Neo at this time. Uka then approached Tropy.

"Now I wish to speak with you alone." Uka and Tropy then vanished as NGin was walking down the corridor to visit Neo.

"Why?" asked Neo.

"Why what?"

"Why didn't you tell me it was you who turned me into a freak and not some accident?"

"What are you talking about? One of your prototypes screwed up, I had nothing to do with it."

"Do you think I'm bloody stupid?!? I know what happened Neo, Aku showed me everything. Don't bother denying it!" Neo then seemed to lower his head in guilt.

"*sigh* It_ was_ an accident, I just thought you would never forgive me so I thought there wasn't a reason to tell you ok?" NGin shook his head in disappointment and left without going into it any further. It is now clear that will not be defending Cortex if he gets himself into trouble. "Just remember that you would still be dead if it weren't for me!" Neo shouted.


	10. Chapter 8

The next day as soon as the ship reached ten miles from the islands the ship hit a huge storm that came out of nowhere. NGin and Tropy were on the deck when they noticed a huge cylinder shaped cloud form above them "Ah I see it's that time of the year again." NGin said, Tropy looked a little confused.

"Time for what?"

"Oh the turbines have reset that's all, for about ten minutes all the islands and the academy of E.V.I.L are exposed to the world. That's why there's this storm, it's a good thing we caught it, we would have had to spend hours going to the entry point," This only made Tropy more confused but he seemed he wanted to find out more one way or another, NGin also saw it wasn't making much sense to him. "Let's go in, I'll try to explain it further." Tropy followed NGin to his quarters. Cortex was in the canteen with Uka. NGin and Tropy sat down at a desk. "Well you know about the technology that keeps this ship hidden most of the time right?"

"Ah yes, something about electromagnetic turbines that create a sort of dome around the ship making it invisible."

"That's right, the islands are hidden with the same technology but on a much greater scale."

"I see, but what does this have to do with the storm?"

"This storm occurs once every year when the big reset happens."

"Big reset?"

"Well because the electromagnetic field is so big it has to be reset once a year to keep it maintained, the same that the ship can only stay hidden for a few hours at a time."

"Ok, and what else does this shield do?"

"Well it stops any ship from entering the shield as well a making us invisible and hides us from any radars and satellites."

"Right, and what if the storm had already passed when we got here?"

"Then we would have had to contact Brio and ask for the new angle bearings from the main computer," Tropy raised an eyebrow. "The shield was originally powered by the master crystal on XTreme island and the turbines increase the strength and size of the dome. The turbines are programmed, monitored and maintained by the main computer at the castle and as you know every computer has a back door, our computer has two."

"So the dome is like a big computer login screen."

"That's right and these 'back doors' are specific magnetic bearings that anyone can easily pass through. One to the north and south. The bearings never actually move but the angle at which we can enter those bearings does."

"I see."

"When I built the computer that controls it Neo wanted it so that communication with the islands can only be made from the islands."

"But I've answered calls from Nina in the past."

"Actually the academy shares the shield with the islands since they're only eleven miles apart. The one at the academy is powered with its own turbine though. Here, I'll draw a quick diagram," NGin got out two pens and a paper from his desk and drew a diagram of the shield and how it covers the islands. (* link to diagram http://juslion .deviantart .com/art/Fan-Art-123767298)

"But we are still able to make outside calls, the computer in the comms room at the castle and on the ship make them harder to trace."

"So what will happen if someone was to encounter the shield and they did not know about the entry points?"

"Well by the time they've gotten close enough their compass or navigation systems would be going crazy and they would encounter an even bigger storm to this one which would force them to either go back the way they came or go around the shield. That's why it's a good thing the islands are located just south enough away from shipping lanes."

"How long have you been at the islands now?"

"Oh since the late eighties I think. When we arrived the dome was actually already here when me Brio and… _Cortex_ came to the islands but it only covered one of the three islands; Xtreme Island. Cortex had enough money to buy the castle and NSanity islands from Australia and some agreement about some sort of project. When we settled I built my first lot of robots to help build the castle on top of an old colonial fort. It was only during a huge storm that we saw XTreme island appear for a few minutes, at first we had no idea what was going on so we hired a top physicist to work everything out. Unfortunately I can't remember what he said thanks to the accident, can't remember a lot of things for that matter. Anyway we decided to get him to hide all the islands just like XTreme was. It was around this time that our old headmaster came to us wanting the same thing for the academy. We figured that the Australian government did not know of Xtreme island so we managed to make them believe a huge earthquake had taken place that completely wiped out the entire Wumpa archipelago. I just used one of my inventions to make a tidal wave in Tasman Sea but not so much that it cost lives, just flooded a few coastal towns, that's all. They also must have been unaware about the tribes people living on NSanity island."

"Is this physicist still around?"

"I don't know to be honest I just remember us no longer needing him so we let him leave and go back home, probably for the best now days, if the wrong person know as much he does it could mean trouble for all of us."

"So are we going through one of those bearings now?"

"Actually we're not, this is the reset storm so the two entry points are temporarily shut down for about five minutes allowing us to enter the dome."

"Does not this mean that anyone can enter the dome as well?"

"Yes but the chances of someone being able to stay on course like my ship are pretty slim."

"And planes?"

"Well unless the pilot is looking for us they would just fly around the storm."

"And these turbines that generate the dome, do you know where they are?"

"I know that one of them is on the academy's island but I've forgotten where the other one is, all I remember is a temple of some animal I think and that they are both powered by their own power crystals. You seem quite interested by all this."

"Well yes, I have often wondered what kept us hidden all these years."


	11. Chapter 9

In Sydney Brio was in the waiting room of Dr Richard Kelly's office. He managed to convince Dingodile to use his boat so he could get to the main land. While going through Melbourne and Sydney he had had constant looks and stares at the bolts in his head. Some would just say something like 'A bit late for Halloween isn't it?' He would just ignore them and concentrate on getting to the hospital.

"Dr Brio? Doctor Kelly is ready to see you know." Said the receptionist who's name tag read Elizabeth, on her desk was a photo of her and another woman with long brunette hair smiling with half a locket around her neck.

"Thank you." Brio got up and entered the doctor's office.

"You say you once suffered headaches when you were younger?" Doctor Kelly asked.

"Yes that's right."

"And you had someone install those bolts to help with the pain?"

"That's right and they worked a treat until now, I've recently started getting the headaches again."

"Tell me, before you had them implanted, did you ever encounter any stress?"

"Well, yes, I guess I did, it was a stressful time because of our exams."

"And you often stuttered when under stress?"

"Yes, but that's died down ever since… a colleague left.

"And where did you say you worked?"

"In my lab, why, could I have been exposed to something?" The doctor then looked sorrowful.

"Dr Brio, I'm sorry but what I'm about to tell you may be a bit of shock to you ok?"

"O- ok."

"Your ct-scan results showed us that you have a tumour at the centre of your brain, it had been growing for many years since you were seventeen, when you said the headaches started." Brio's face then turned to shock and fear. "It appears that those implants only masked the tumour allowing it to grow. The headaches and the stuttering was your brain telling you that something was wrong."

"H-how big i-is it?"

"Have a look for yourself, this may be of a shock also." The doctor turned a monitor towards Brio showing him a blue and grey picture of the results. Brio could see a big dark area in the centre of his brain about the size of a golf ball. He just stared at it for a while in complete shock.

"There is treatment but it may result in memory loss. Who did you say installed those 'neuro-bolts'?"

"I-I d-didn't, an old friend that's all."

"I was just interested because I have never seen work like that before in all my years of practice. What I recommend is booking an operation to have them removed and replaced with a medication if you still get the headaches. The main operation to remove the tumour will involve radiotherapy to kill the cancer cells and then careful removal of the dead cells, this does mean that it will leave a hole where the cells were. Are familiar with stem cell research?"

"Err, y yes, do you think that will help?"

"I believe it will allow you to start remembering things again after the surgery to prevent constant amnesia but unfortunately there is still little chance of you remembering anything of the past twenty-six years, when the tumour started to form. We do have rehabilitation centres for patients like you. These decisions are of course only for you to make. Do you have any family support?"

"S-sort of, I don't know how she'd take this though, can I have some time to think about this?"

"You can have as long as you want, but if I was you I would want to make a decision as soon as possible."

"How long would you say I have left?"

"Honestly, anything from days to years, tumours can be really unpredictable."

"Th-thank you doctor Kelly, I think I'll go home first before making a decision, I'll let you know within about a week."

"Ok, thanks for coming."

"Thank you Doctor." Brio shook the doctor's hand and left. From the moment Brio left the doctor's office he entered into a daze of shock. Everything around him was cut off, he did not hear or properly see what was going on around him, no sounds. He thought about all the years he spent working with Cortex, how much he wasted them, how pointless his life has become and how different his life would be if he never met Cortex or . He thought about different outcomes, what will happen next, how he was going to tell Megumi. He slowly walked back to his hotel room not far from the hospital in a drift.

The next day he booked surgery to have the bolts removed from his head, he still could not believe what had been happening to him over the past twenty-six years. He thought about blaming but he was no doctor at the time, just a young student discovering new technology. The day after the operation Brio called for a cab to take him to a marina where Dingodile's boat was and failed to notice the doctor's receptionist running out from the hotel foyer looking for him as he rode off.


	12. Chapter 10

The day after Brio left for Sydney NGin's ship returned. Cortex quickly headed to the castle and like before found some of his former minions playing cards in the lounge. Dingo was slightly drunk, Kong was smoking a joint, Pinstripe was smoking a cigar and Ripper Roo was stiff as a statue glaring at his cards.

"I'm ba-"

"No shit! We smelt yous coming ages ago, friggin smell like shit as well." Pinstripe said. Cortex frowned, he reached for where his gun as a force of habit but noticed it was no longer there. Pinstripe was looking at him with disgust. "He's like some freakin cockroach aint he guys?"

"How dare you speak to me like this!" Cortex shouted. Megumi came into the room with another round of drinks.

"Hey! Nishe one babe, you even fought about your old pal Dingodile." She handed everyone at the table a glass apart from Dingodile and took a seat at the table.

"You've had enough already mister." She said with a slight grin.

"Awww" Pinstripe and Blaze grinned, Ripper Roo was still silent and seemed to be in deep thought. Kong just dazed up into the ceiling.

"Right all of you out, now!" Cortex demanded. Dingo, Megumi, Blaze and Pinstripe just looked at him and laughed.

"Pinstripe, should I just waste him now? It'll be doing everyone a favour." Blaze said as he reached for his pistol, Cortex froze slightly.

"No you can't!" Shouted Uka as he came in, Tropy was behind him.

"*Ugh* not more wankers." Dingo said looking at Uka and Tropy. Uka then zapped his tail with mild electricity. "Squeee!" (The sound he made in Twinsanity)

"AAAAHA HAHAHHAHAAAAA!" Ripper Roo had burst into intense laughter (like the joker from the last Batman film) and started jumping all over the room. Kong had no idea what was going on since he had finally passed out.

"Oh now look what you've done, it'll be ages before he calms down." Megumi said watching Ripper Roo.

"So you lot got some shitty plan again?" Pinstripe asked.

"I might do, will you three be interested in working for me again?" Cortex asked. Pinstripe, Blaze and Dingo all looked at each other before bursting out laughing and Megumi joined. Tropy rolled his eyes.

"Are you serious?" Blaze asked with a grin trying to hold back laughter.

"What the fuck do you have to offer us anyways?" Blaze asked.

"It's not what I can offer you but what you ungrateful sods still owe me for making you what you are today." The three of them suddenly dropped their expressions. Blaze started to reach for one of his guns again and Dingo looked angry.

"Easy cuz," Pinstripe said. "Come on come on guys; let's finish the game at my place. I believe one of us will do something regretful if we stay here any longer." Pinstripe said. Everyone took their cards off the table.

"Bob respond." Megumi said and one of the robots came over from one of the corners of the room.

"Awaiting further command."

"Yeah, can you take Kong here back to his room, I don't think there's much point on trying to do anything with him now." The robot lifted him up and left the room followed by Blaze Pinstripe and Dingo. Blaze kicked the door out if his way in anger at Cortex said. Megumi to ok the empty glasses, Ripper Roo had already jumped out an open window.

"I knew that would not work the second time." Tropy said.

"Shut up." Cortex replied.

Cortex went back down the stairs to talk to Megumi as she was heading for Pinstripe's.

"Megumi!"

"What?"

"Where's Brio?"

"He's in Sydney."

"What? Why?"

"He had to see a doctor, as if you would care though."

"Do you know when he'll be back?"

"I don't know and even if I did I wouldn't tell you." She said as she then quickly left through the front entrance before Neo had a chance to respond. She saw NGin coming up the stairs. "NGin, did _you_ bring those two assholes back?"

"I'm afraid so, I had no choice. Tropy brought them back really. Is Brio in?" Megumi then lowered her head.

"Oh NGin. He's had a stroke, I thought he was dying."

"Oh no, is he alright?"

"For now at least, he's on his way back from Sydney after an appointment with a neurologist. He should be back tomorrow."

"Thanks, where you off to now?"

"I'm going to Pinstripe's to finish our poker game." They then both overheard Neo calling for a Bob-bot but to no avail.

"I better get this sorted out, can I come over later and deal myself in? Show you how a master plays."

"Sure, the day's still young and we could do with a janitor."

"Very funny, I'll see you in a bit."

"See ya." NGin continued up the stairs to Neo.

"NGin! Why the hell won't your tin trash respond?"

"Well since you were gone I didn't see the need for your profile to be active any more."

"What?!? Just sort it out now!"

"Fine." NGin went to the main computer hub next to his office and reactivated Neo's profile but he changed it so Neo could only have one bob under his command at a time.

"It's done." NGin said returning from the hub.

"About bloody time! Bob respond!" The bob he was trying to summon earlier then activated.

"Awaiting further command."

"Come with me to my lab, Its been a while since I've used the evolvo ray, maybe one of those penguins you brought over can be my next subjects.

"But they're for Brio."

"What the hell do you mean FOR Brio?!? Nothing here is FOR anyone but me understood?!?"

"Whatever you say."

"Dammit NGin what the hell has happened to this place while I've been gone? Where the hell is the respect?!?"

"Respect is something to be earned."

"If that's so then all of you should still be at my feet! They would be NOTHING without me. You hear? NOTHING! They would just be mindless useless animals, nothing like the life they have now! And especially you, you wouldn't even be alive if it weren't for me!"

"Nor would I have been made a freak!"

"For the last time I told you it was an accident!"

"Oh that's all _you_ are, an 'accident'. An accident to these islands and everything around you, everything you do! And you think they should be grateful?"

"You're damn right they should!"

"Hmm let me see, Your first one is a lunatic, Kong's a drug addict, Tiny's intellectually challenged and the ones who were once loyal you treated like crap so there now isn't one who's on your side." Neo turned his back to NGin in denial and noticed the door to his library was wide open. He quickly ran up the stairs and saw almost all of his books were either on the floor or missing.

"NGin!"

"*sigh* What now?" He said with disappointment as he was about to leave.

"What the bloody hell has happened to my library?!?" NGin looked through the doorway and saw books strewn everywhere.

"Oh that must have been Ripper Roo, he goes in there sometimes, and you know how much he likes to read."

"That blue little freak! I'll kill him! Where is he?!?"

"I don't know, I didn't see him go off with the others so he could be anywhere."

"I want you to find him and bring him to me immediately!"

"Go look for him yourself." With that, NGin left.

"NGin! Get back here right now!" NGin just flipped him off and continued to walk away.


	13. Chapter 11

Uka and Tropy were still in the lounge but could hear what was going on.

"You know who you need information from. I need to leave now, just make sure you do what I asked." Uka disappeared and Tropy went to Neo who was in the library.

"Tropy. Do you know anything about this?" Neo asked gesturing at the mess all around him.

"Actually this is quite recent, it was quite tidy before we left for the Antarctic. Are any books missing?"

"I think so, I need to sort them out first in order to find out. Bob! Help me and Tropy clean this up."

"You mean just you and Bob, why do not I go and find out if he stole any books and why."

"Fine, but I doubt he'll tell you anything, it's like talking to a simpleton on E."

"Oh I have my ways." Neo did not know what he was on about and just continued to tidy the books.

"Oh Tropy one more thing, go to the communications room and take a walkie talkie, I want you to tell me anything you find out, if you do." Tropy left the library and went to the dog temple on Island that Ngin may have meant earlier to 'talk' with Ripper Roo.


	14. Chapter 12

When Tropy arrived Ripper Roo wasn't anywhere to be seen but there were books strewn about everywhere. He noticed the books were all related to either physics, Nicola Tesla, Ley lines or Electromagnetism. Some were about the Bermuda Triangle and others about the Philadelphia Experiment. "Now why would he be interested in these?" Tropy thought to himself. Suddenly he heard a tin can hit the ground, he quickly turned round to see what was there. Nothing. Ripper Roo was in fact stalking him behind some rocks.

"I know you are there kangaroo!" Tropy was looking around, Ripper Roo then jumped a few feet in the air from behind the waterfall and landed right behind Tropy.

"Yeeeeeeeeeeethh?" Ripper Roo asked weirdly. Tropy spun round but was not too amused by Ripper's sneaking about.

"I see you have been 'borrowing' some of Cortex's books."

"Ah yeth, thothe, jutht thomething I'm working on dat'th all. A little hobby I gueth you could call it dat, yeth." (Because his tongue sticks out so much he has a distinctive lisp.)

"But what would minion like you want with books like these though, I mean, why did you only take these particular books such as 'Nicola Tesla's Physics' and 'The theories of electromagnetism'?"

"HHHA HA HA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAAAAA, You're making it thound like I might know thomthing dat fffew otherth don't. I'm dutht thome thtupid minion rememberrrrrr."

"Well I am not sure about that now. I am starting to think that we may have underestimated you. If there is something you do know I strongly recommend you tell me, you do _not_ want to get on my bad side believe me."

"HA HA HA HA HA HAAAAA 'bad thide' for dere to be a 'badthide' dere hath to be a good thide."

"True, true but I still think you should tell me what you know."

"Ha ha ha ha who the hhhhell do you thhhhink you are?!? You don't thcare me! I don't hhhave to tell _you_ anythhing!"

"Oh I'm sorry Ripper Roo but you are going to tell me anything I want." Before Ripper Roo had a chance to react with his claws Tropy swung his fork round striking Ripper Roo in the head knocking him out cold.

"Tropy come in, over." It was Neo on the radio.

"Yes?"

"Any luck?"

"Yes, looks like he is only interested in certain types of books."

"Really, what kind?"

"Anything to do with physics, ley lines, turbines and some scientist."

"That's odd, oh well, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about," Tropy rolled his eyes

'How stupid can he get?' he thought to himself.

"collect the books and bring them back here will you, and any sign of that blue brat?"

"None whatsoever."

"Ok, just bring the books back then, out." Tropy looked at Ripper Roo on the ground then over to some rope used to tie up a hammock.


	15. Chapter 13

Tropy entered the library with the books, Neo was busy re-stacking the others on the shelves.

"That was quick, just put them over there I'll deal with them in a bit," Tropy dropped them on the floor in the pile that was already there. Neo didn't bother protesting about it. "Tropy, do you have trouble summoning more than one lab assistant?"

"No, seven assistants respond!" Seven lab assistants then entered the library.

"Awaiting further command." They all said in sync.

"Now why the hell can't I do that?" Asked Neo.

"I do not know, you will have to ask NGin, he appears to be in control of the settings."

"I think I will."

"Do you have a tool box?"

"Yes, in my lab, why?"

"I need it for something, cheers." Tropy then went to Neo's lab before Neo had a chance to ask why.


	16. Chapter 14

Crunch, Tani, Chayenne, Tasha, Tackle and Tayna were having dinner in their dining room when they heard distant screaming and intense laughter.

"What's that mum?" Tasha asked.

"Oh nothing dear, just probably one of Dr Brio's friends." She then gestured for Crunch to talk with him in private.

"We've never heard Ripper Roo sound like that before." Tani said. Crunch was still picking some meat from his teeth.

"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about, he's probably set off some TNT or something."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

A few hours later everyone was sleeping when Crunch and his sister were woken up by someone coming up the stairs. Crunch jumped out of bed and went straight for the door.

"What the hell do you want?" He demanded quietly so he didn't wake up the others. It was Tiny, he was breathing heavily and looked scared.

"Who is it at this hour Crunch?" Chayenne asked as she came out of the bedroom.

"It's just Tiny sis."

"Tiny see sister now, very important!." Tiny said.

"If its so important you can tell me and I'll pass it on to her." Crunch said.

"I want sister!"

"Will you keep your voice down, you'll wake the kids! Tiny, Tani is fine, she's asleep an I am sure that she wont like being woken up. Lets go downstairs and you can tell me what is wrong."

"You're wasting your time sis." She ignored him and followed Tiny. Crunch and his sister put on a single layer went outside.

"Tiny see bad thing! Bad bad bad thing!"

"What is it this time? Did a tree call you names again?" Crunch asked, Tiny growled and they beefed up to each other.

"Crunch! Behave yourself. For once can you both please not fight, For me, for Tani?" They both stepped down.

"Just tell us what the problem is already." Crunch said.

"Tropy, Tropy bad he very very bad!" Tiny was constantly shaking his head.

"Tropy? Why what did he do? Did he hurt you?" asked Cheyanne.

"No, he hurt poor Ripper Roo, he hurt him very much! Tiny never seen this thing before."

"I knew this would be a waste of time, come on Tani lets go back to bed."

"Crunch wait!"

"Fine you can stay here, I'm too tired to bother with this." Crunch then went back upstairs.

"Tiny, why would Tropy hurt Ripper Roo?"

"Tiny not know, Tiny could not see much in case he got catched, Tiny scared. Scared what Tropy can do. Tiny think sister and children stay away from Tropy."

"Ok Tiny, We will but you do the same ok?"

"Tiny never go near Tropy now, never again."

"Ok good, look I got to get back, I'll see you tomorrow alright?"

"Tiny sleep out here tonight, in case bad Tropy turn up."

"Fine but you may want to go before Crunch wakes up." Cheyanne then went back upstairs and back to bed. "This is quite unusual, why would Tropy have any interest in Ripper Roo?" she thought to herself before falling back to sleep.


	17. Chapter 15

The next morning everyone on the Wumpa Islands was woken up by an almighty explosion and the ground shaking.

Crunch put on his elemental necklace and tried to call them out but to his surprise none of them did nor was there any light coming from the crystals.

"Is something wrong?" Tani asked Crunch.

"This isn't right, they always respond, I better call Crash and Coco maybe Aku can tell me what's going on." He picked up the internal phone that installed so the Anthros could communicate with each other and called Crash and Coco's.

"Hello?"

"Coco, its Crunch, is Aku there?"

"We don't know, we've been looking for him everywhere, what do you think has happened?"

"I don't know yet but it must be big if the elementals are not responding, anyway let me know when Aku turns up will you?"

"Sure, speak to you soon hopefully."

"Bye."

"Bye." Soon after Crunch put the phone down it rang again.

"Yes?"

"Crunch?"

"Hey Pinstripe"

"Hey man, did yous get woken up by that explosion just now?"

"I was already awake but it scared the kids and woke Tani and Chayenne up."

"Yeah Tommy and Tiff are worried too, has Aku or the elementals said anything?"

"None of them are responding and Coco said Aku has disappeared."

"Wow, hang on Blaze said he saw Tropy last night coming and going, Blaze!"

"What?"

"Tell us everything you said earlier, I weren't really listening." Pinstripe then turned on the 'hands free' button on the phone.

"Yeah it must have been after we all came here for our poker game when I noticed Tropy heading towards the dock with one of them walkie talkies, then few minutes later he came back with a load of books. Then later in the evening I was outside at about midnight when I saw Tropy come back from the dock with what seemed like blood splattered on him, he was walking quite quickly so he didn't notice me but about five minutes later he came back out of the castle with a big TNT storage box, I thought he must be up to some big plan with Cortex or something."

"I haven't known Tropy to use dynamite before, but I think we should try our best to stay out of whatever is going on, I know how much we would love to stop it but with the little ones and everything, any 'evil plan' foiling is too early for any of them."

"Yeah I guess you're right man, I don't think Tiff would want Tom getting involved in anything either. But let us know if anything else comes up that we should know about ok?" Pinstripe said.

"Ok, I'll speak to you later then maybe."

"Ok, oh and Megumi said Brio is due back later this morning, I'm gonna pay him a visit to see how he is. A stroke, can you believe it?"

"Yeah I guess I always thought that there may have been something about his stuttering and he does look older than he is, I think me and Tani will visit him as well, see you later then."

"Bye."

"Bye."


	18. Chapter 16

That afternoon Brio was welcomed by Megumi at the dock when he arrived. "Hi Nick, How did it go? I see they removed those bolts of yours." He did not respond or make eye contact, he just carried his suitcase and kept on walking towards the castle. He was still in the same shock he had in Sydney "Nick! Please, tell me what happened. Wait! Neo's back." He then stopped, shook his head, sighed and took out some painkillers and popped them into his mouth.

"You want to know something funny Meg?"

"What?"

"How spending most of my life here in the hope of discovering the science of life only to have it kill me instead. And can I leave? Of course I can but where will I go? I haven't got any family, back on the mainland I'm literally a 'nobody'. And now I find out that the person mainly responsible for it has returned. Ha i-its bloody typical. I'm just glad you're here, the one thing I am proud to have created."

"I'm glad too. Here, let me carry that." He gave her the suitcase. They went back to Brio's quarters. Brio sat down on his bed when they got there.

"Megumi, there's something I need to tell you, please, sit down."

"What is it? She asked as she sat down on a comfy chair.

"They did a ct scan of my brain, and they discovered a tumour." She looked upset and shocked. "They said it had been growing for many years since I was a teenager, it's about the size of a golf ball." Brio now noticed a tear coming from Megumi's eye.

"What does this mean?"

"*sigh* It means I can have anywhere from days to years left to live, oh Megumi, I knew you shouldn't have told you."

"No, its good that you did rather than keep it from me then find you dead and only find out how from a robot, so what will you do?"

"I don't know yet, they told me there is the surgery option but it could mean I lose all memory of the past twenty-six years or so, when the tumour started to form. After the surgery I would have stem cells inserted where the tumour was so I don't get constant amnesia but I still will not remember anything."

"So you'll forget everything, about Cortex, about this place, about me?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Maybe I can help you remember."

"I'm sorry but there's nothing we can do, you see, this is not the kind of memory that can be restored, all those memories will be in the tumour."

"But I don't want to lose you! I don't really have anyone else, you've been like a father to me."

"Oh Megumi, its ok, I don't have to have the surgery, it's only an option."

"But I don't want to see you in the lab one minute and dead the next."

"What if I find you someone so you won't be alone?"

"Who? There's no other decent and sane bandicoot on these islands."

"What about Crash?"

"But I don't really know him that well."

"Well you could get to know him."

"I don't know, I heard he's a bit like Siegfried."

"What if I use the evolvo-ray?"

"NO! Please, no more evolving, it's not good, you said Ernest would be the last one, he's only recently started to talk. I remember the day you evolved me, I was confused, scared and I hated it."

"But you got over it."

"Yeah eventually."

"I best cancel my next experiment then."

"What's that?"

"I sent NGin to collect some penguin test subjects."

"*sigh* Look, you do whatever you feel is the right thing to do, as long as you're happy with it."

"Maybe that mask er… Aku can help." She then remembered what she heard from Pinstripe.

"Oh, there's something you should know."

"What?"

"This morning everyone on the islands were woken up by a huge explosion and everything shaking," she told him everything Blaze and Pinstripe had also told her the night before at Pinstripe's "And before the explosion we all heard Ripper Roo screaming and laughing like crazy, more than usual. I don't think Neo was too happy about what he did to his library" Brio's face had turned to shock.

"You said Tropy left with a box of TNT, do you know where he went with it?"

"No, you can ask Blaze, he seemed to know the most about what's happened. What would Tropy want do with TNT anyway?"

"No no no, th-this isn't g-good." He started to panic and paced up and down the room. "B-but hhow could h-he know about i-it?" he asked himself.

"Know about what, What did he do?" He turned to her.

"N-never mind, look I g-got to g-go, p-please s-stay here." He popped some more pills and quickly left the room and headed towards Pinstripe's house.


	19. Chapter 17

Neo went down to Tropy's room. Like on the space station there were clocks everywhere on the walls and a big grandfather clock opposite the clock shaped bed. "Tropy?" He came out the bathroom polishing his chest plate clock and armour.

"What?"

"Do you know anything about that explosion?"

"No." Neo then looked at him suspiciously.

"Are you _sure_ you did not see Ripper Roo yesterday?"

"Yes, it was just empty food cans and your books."

"Are you up to something you're not telling me?"

"Even if I was why the hell _should_ I tell you?"

"Because these islands are mine and I demand to know what is happening on them, understood?"

"It certainly does not look like that now." Neo pretended to ignore the comment.

"If there is something going on I _will_ find out."

"Good luck with that."

"And where's Uka?"

"I don't know, probably nowhere."

"You say it like it's somewhere."

"Really?" he asked sarcastically. Neo gave up finding out anything more from Tropy and left.


	20. Chapter 18

Brio knocked on Pinstripe's door and Tommy answered.

"T-Tom, is Blaze in?"

"Err yeah, he's round the back at the firing range with dad." Brio waited until they had finished the rounds before approaching them, Blaze was firing his two pistols and Pinstripe was firing his modified version of a Tommy gun where the drum magazine was on top as well as the under side. Pinstripe noticed Brio as he turned round to reload.

"Brio, you're back. Like this new gun NGin made? We were about to come and see ya, how did the visit to the doc go?"

"I-I c-can't talk about th-that now, B-Blaze I m-must speak with y-you urgently about last n-night."

"Erm, ok but I can't be sure what really happened."

"P-please tell me everything," Blaze then told Brio what he had told Crunch and Megumi. "D-did you s-see which direction T-Tropy went?"

"Sorry I only saw him leave the castle with that big box of TNT, got on a boat and headed towards the east side of XTreme island."

"And y-you didn't s-see him come back w-with it?"

"No."

"Do you think this has something to do with Ripper Roo's screaming and laughing last night?" Pinstripe asked.

"It m-might be but I think he's done s-something much m-much worse." Brio popped some more pills to calm himself. "It is not safe right now, you must lock all doors, close all window shutters and make sure no light can be seen from the outside. There is to be not TV or internet use and no external calls. All of those things can be traced directly to us." Blaze and Pinstripe looked at each other worryingly.

"What do you think has happened?" Blaze asked.

"I fear Tropy has disabled the electromagnetic turbines that keep the islands hidden from the rest of the world. We could anything from just minutes to years before we're found."

"I'll call Tani on her mobile and the Moulin Cortex and tell them to do the same." Pinstripe said.

"And I'll contact Coco on my PDA." Blaze said.

"Good I'll head to now, and try not to let Cortex, Tropy and Uka know what I have told you."

"Ok" Pinstripe said and Blaze nodded.


	21. Chapter 19

A family of four, mother, father, a son and daughter, both aged ten and seven were in the kitchen at their suburban London (UK) home and had gathered around their pregnant pet Labrador.

"She's now in labour kids." The father said.

"She's huge! There must at least be five pups in there." The mother said.

"I hope they'll all be boys." The son said.

"No they wont, there're gonna all be girls." The daughter replied.

"Don't worry you two, maybe they'll be both boys and girls," The father said. The Labrador started to whine in pain. "Let's give her some more room, Jack, Lisa, go wait by your mother." The kids stepped back, the dog was now standing ready to give birth. The father had a towel ready underneath her, as he watched where the pup was due to come out he saw only a small part of the head start to appear. The mother dog started to whine even louder,

"Come on girl, you can do it." The father said. The dog shook with strain before passing out. "This isn't right, Claire, call the vet!" His wife picked up the wall-phone.

"What's wrong daddy?" Lisa asked.

"Nothing dear, we just need a bit of help, that's all."

"Hello? Yes we need a field vet please…"

"Come on girl."

"Thank you, bye," Claire hung up the phone, "Luckily there's someone already in the area, he'll be here in about three minutes."

"I just hope he'll make it in time." The father said as he tried to comfort the dog.

"Will she die dad?" Jack asked.

"*sigh* Why don't you go take your sis and play in your room?"

"But we want to see the puppies!" Lisa said.

"You will but Bonnie needs more space, just please, wait in your room, I'll call you when they're born ok." The kids reluctantly went upstairs.

"What do you thinks' happening?" Claire asked.

"It seems the pups are too big to come out naturally, looks like they'll need to be cut out by caesarean," The door bell rang. "That must be the vet." His wife left to answer the door.

"Hi, Mrs Tandon? I'm here about your dog." The vet said. He was dressed in brown with a brown RSPCA uniform.

"John's with her in the kitchen, this way." She led him through to the kitchen, he was carrying his kit one hand.

"Fainted has she?" The vet asked.

"Yes and her pulse is dropping." John said.

"Oh poor thing, let's see what I can do," The vet crouched next to the dog. "Wow, she's huge!"

"That's what I said." Claire replied.

"Right, I'm gonna have to do an emergency caesarean *sigh* I'm sorry, but there's a chance she may not survive but I'll do my best."

"Ok, just do whatever you have to do." John said. The vet opened his bag and gave Bonnie an injection. Claire closed the door to the kitchen in case Jack or Lisa came down. The vet got out his knife and carefully cut into Bonnie's womb. Claire was making some tea as her husband watched from behind and helped the vet in any way he could. He opened the womb and stopped, he shook his head and looked again.

"Are they alive?" John asked.

"Erm, was the mate to your dog related to her in any way?"

"He shouldn't be, we got her from a professional breeder with glowing reviews. Why, is there something wrong with the puppies?" John asked.

"Not puppies, just pup"

"What?!?" Claire said. The couple moved closer to look at the pup and were both just as shocked as the vet at what they saw. The golden Labrador puppy barely looked like a dog at all, his legs were twice as long as they should be, his Metacarpi (the bone from the toes to the Carpi (ankles)) was evolved into his Phalanges (toes) making them look more like human hands feet and but there was still only four toes and fingers. His Carpus and Tarsus looked more like a human's Calcaneus (ankle). Both of his paws had fingers also like a human and fully constructed thumbs but they all still had claws like a dog.


	22. Chapter 20

Brio was on NGin's ship. "NGin! Salty!" He shouted from the main deck. No one responded so he went to one of NGin's rhino assistants. "Where's NGin?" he asked one of them.

"He's in his quarters at the moment, he wasn't too happy though, I think he lost the poker game last night. Has something happened?"

"Yes and we're all in danger tell everyone on the ship to head straight to the dorms in the castle, the potoroos will tell you what to do." The rhino assistant ran to the bridge to make the announcement on the ships intercom and Brio went to NGin's room.

"NGin?" he said as he knocked on the heavy iron door.

"I thought I told you lot not to bother me for another twelve hours, it better be important!" Brio slowly entered.

"Oh hi Brio, Megumi told me what happened, are you ok?" NGin slowly sat up rubbing the left side of his forehead.

"No, but I f-fear something we are a-all in danger. Do you th-think Tropy may h-have found out about the t-turbines?" NGin then felt a very intense sickening sensation in his stomach.

"I-I may have told him something about it when we were on our way back from Antarctica, we also brought the penguins back like you asked."

"You t-told him?!? Why? You kn-know it was t-to be kept s-secret!"

"What, you don't think he's done what I think he's done do you?"

"I f-fear he has, didn't you h-hear the explosion this m-morning?"

"After last night, I can't even remember what day it is, what day is it?"

"Its Wednesday, we c-could all b-be exposed right now, who knows h-how long we've g-got."

"But why would he do something like that? Surely he most know what is at risk if the islands are found by the wrong people. And he said that he would have made us go to Antarctica instead because he thought we would get seen by the wrong kind of people."

"But how m-much do we r-really know about T-Tropy?"

"I guess you're right, the only one who knows the most about him is Uka and perhaps Aku." Brio popped more medication to calm himself down. "What shall we do?"

"I've told everyone to stay where they are, we are not to use anything that could be detected by anyone, so no tv, no internet and especially no outside calls, at least not until you can sort our a more secure system."

"Won't Cortex and Tropy suspect something?"

"I'm sure Tropy doesn't have anyone to call on the mainland and Cortex will still want to check up on Nina."

"Hmm, what if we keep the communication between the Islands and the academy going but block all radio communication, so everyone can only contact each other on the internal land line network. Come to think of it Blaze and Coco are gonna want full use of the internet."

"You're right so can you do anything that'll make it practically impossible for anyone to find us?"

"I'll see what I can do, I'll ask Coco to help me set it up. What about Cortex and Tropy?"

"They know how secure the islands have to be so just tell him that there's some failure with the turbines and recommend putting the islands into Ghost Mode. We must make sure that Tropy and Cortex have no idea that we suspect the Turbines being deliberately disabled. We better keep an eye on them, can you re-program some bots to spy on them?"

"Yes, it shouldn't be much of a problem. Shall we warn Amberly about this?"

"Yes, I'll check up on her and even if everything may seem fine I'll still tell her to tighten security around the turbine that covers the academy. I need to check the main computer to see how much damage has been done to the dome. I better go to Megumi now, remember to make sure all lights are off. Satellites pass over any point on earth every five minutes, any one of them could spot us." Brio left and went back to the castle. NGin took his log book and packed a suitcase before heading to his quarters in the castle.


	23. Chapter 21

Meanwhile, Pinstripe called the Moulin Cortex. "Hello?" Jaseo said as he picked up the phone.

"I need to speak with the boss."

"Pinstripe Potoroo, The last I heard was that you pissed off to Australia, The boss is a busy man, what's it about?"

"Something very important and if he finds out that time has been wasted talking to a prick like you, he will not be pleased."

"What's the whore up to these days?" (Refering to Tawna)

"Go fuck yourself, just put me through to the boss." all Pinstripe could hear was the sound of dance music in the background then a click of the call being transferred to Favourani's office.

"Pinstripe! Thinking on coming back already?" Pinstripe could tell by the sound of his voice that Favourani had recently taken his meds.

"No, I have something important to tell you."

"It better be good," Pinstripe then told him everything that Brio said earlier. "Surely you can't expect me to keep the place going in darkness."

"No of course not, just cover up the windows and make sure no light can be seen from the outside."

"I'll see what I can do, what's Tawna doing now?"

"She's moved on, she has a son now."

"That's a shame, she could still have been a good asset to this place, anyway thanks for the heads up, I'll speak to ya later."

"Bye."


	24. Chapter 22

A couple were enjoying the afternoon in their Boston (US) suburban home. The wife was pregnant and reading a magazine and the husband was watching sport highlights on the television. The wife got up and poured some hot water into two mugs for their coffee, she picked up the mugs and her husband heard them smash on the floor.

"You ok honey?" As he looked into the kitchen he saw his wife's water water had just broken. "Oh no! but you're only three months!" Blood then started to drip from her womb onto the floor. The wife started to look faint, her husband ran up to her before she hit the floor. "Stay with me honey, you're gonna be fine." He grabbed the portable phone off the kitchen counter and dialled 911. "Hello? Yes we need an ambulance!... 284 Tennerman Close… What?!? Everyone's already busy?!?... How long?... twenty minutes! That's too long, my wife has gone into labour and she's only three months pregnant! And she's bleeding… Fine I'll take her myself." He hung up the phone. "Come on honey, we're going to the hospital!" He supported her and slowly moved her to his car. Once they were in he made the tires screech on the tarmac as he sped off. On the way to the hospital he saw loads of ambulances speeding past in both directions and rescue helicopters above him. When he arrived at the hospital there were people everywhere running about with pregnant women. The reception was a scene of complete chaos, nurses and doctors in their white coats were running about everywhere attending to patients or responding to constantly beeping beepers. The husband went up to the first nurse he found who wasn't attending to anyone.

"Please, you've got to help my wife!" The nurse was sweating and on the brink of a mental breakdown.

"I'm sorry sir but all our staff are busy, you're just gonna have to wait."

"But my wife's in labour!"

"Look around! Everyone here is in labour! We've had more than a hundred miscarriages in the last hour alone! This is a nightmare!"


	25. Chapter 23

Brio was in his lab when Chayenne entered. Megumi was busy making her perfume.

"Hi Brio."

"Oh hi Chayenne how are things?"

"Ok I guess, its just something's been bothering me lately."

"What is it, you know you can tell me anything."

"Well last night Tiny turned up panicking and said he saw Tropy 'hurt' Ripper Roo."

"Where was this?"

"He didn't say, probably where Ripper Roo lives." Brio suddenly looked surprised.

"What else did Tiny say?"

"Not much, he was very scared, I've never seen him that scared in fact. He said he couldn't stay for long in case he got caught by Tropy."

"Have you told Tani?"

"Yes but she just said it was probably nothing because how Tiny is."

"Where's Tiny now? I must speak with h-him immediately."

"He said he was going to the Komodo Brothers for some racing. What do you think is going on?"

"S-something t-terrible. Megumi, can you look after the lab while I'm gone, I hope not to be too long ok."

"Ok sure, just be careful, actually can you take NGin's remote heart rate monitor so I can know if anything happens to you."

"Ok fine, Chayenne, feel free to stick around, maybe you can see what you think of Meg's new perfume she's made."

"Ok" Chayenne said smiling. Brio left and went straight to the race track on island.


	26. Chapter 24

When Brio arrived he saw Tiny on the side of the track smashing his car.

"Bad car! bad car! *ROAR*!"

"Tiny?" Brio said as he came over.

"Science man, me heard you ill, you ok science man?"

"Yes for now, Chayenne told me you said you saw something last night." Tiny looked depressingly down at the ground.

"Tiny not know what he saw."

"Its ok Tiny, you can tell me, I'll believe you." Tiny started to shake his head.

"Tropy bad, he very bad, he hurt Ripper Roo very much."

"What was he doing to him?"

"Tiny not know, Ripper Roo not on ground, Ripper Roo was sad."

"Did you hear any of them say anything?"

"Tropy say, erm, he say 'turbine' me not stay long in case bad Tropy see me, Tiny scared, Tiny ran and didn't stop until he got to sister's house." Shock started to consume Brio again forcing him to pop even more pills.

"Thank you Tiny, you have been very useful." Tiny just smiled. The Komodo Brothers then turned up in their vehicles and saw Tiny's vehicle.

"Bad luck on that bend there Tiny, hello Brio. We heard what happened issss everything alright?" Joe said.

"Yeah I'm fine, can I talk with you two?"

"Ok." Moe said. They left Tiny with his car.

"Did you guys see anything last night?"

"No, all we heard we the ssssscreamss and laughter of Ripper Roo then the explosion thisss morning." Joe said and Moe nodded.

"Ok, can you two look after Tiny for now, and keep a close look out for Tropy, if you see him avoid him at all costs. There is to be no more racing after sun down, no lights are to be left on and absolutely no tv or use of the internet until further notice."

"No night raccccing? Issssss ssssssomething wrong?" Joe asked.

"Yes and I don't have time to explain it all right now, just please, do as I ask, unless you want us to be found by outsiders."


	27. Chapter 25

Brio went to the comms room where Ngin was working with Coco, he closed the door behind him as he entered.

"Hey Brio." Coco said and NGin turned around from the computer.

"Hi, so what's happened exactly?" Brio asked.

"A turbine has been disabled so the shield is only covering the castle and XTreme island." NGin said.

"Ok, and how secure are we?"

"I've been able to slightly alter how information enters the island so we're able to use the internet and make external calls without being traced." Coco said.

"Is the fake weather system still running?"

"This is our biggest problem, I've hacked into a live satellite feed and NSanity island has just popped up in the middle of the South Tasman Sea. The only thing that is left from the weather system is a large circular cloud that pops up every now and then for a short period of time. I beleive this cloud is just the entry point that we use when using aircraft so if anyone does happen to find us, they'll have a tough time finding anywhere to land." Coco said. Brio rubbed his head and popped a pill.

"Shall we visit Ripper Roo?" Brio asked.

"I wouldn't if I were you, I went through some cctv and Tropy recently for XTreme island with an Elite-bot, I've tried getting into it's system but Tropy's managed to hack it so only he can control it and if I were to try and get it back under my control I wont be able to do it without Tropy realising." NGin said.

"Well we can't risk Tropy or Cortex finding out that we know what they may be up to. Let's keep an eye on things for the time being let me know if the situation gets worse and we have to activate Ghost mode." Brio said.

"Sure thing Doc." Coco said.

"I'll be in my lab if you want me, see you two later maybe."

"Bye." NGin said.

"See ya." Coco said.


	28. Chapter 26

Two days later Brio was in his lab and Neo finally went down to find him. Megumi was at Pinstripe's house.

"Brio! Did you really think you could avoid me forever?" Brio ignored him and kept working. "Anyway now that we're both back I want you to get yourself upstairs and help me on my latest project." Brio took out his pill container and noticed it was now empty. "And where the hell is NGin, I want to know why I can't get more than one lab assistant? And I also want to know why-" Brio suddenly threw everything on the work counter onto the floor, beaker's and test tubes smashed spilling chemicals everywhere

"F-FUCK YOU NEO JUST… F-FUCK YOU!!! TWENTY NINE F-FUCKING YEARS! Years I have WASTED working beneath you doing fucking shit! All this 'take over the world' shit going nowhere! The kids at school were right you _are_ a pathetic joke! You always were and always will be!" Neo flipped and punched Brio in the face flooring him.

"Say that again, come on, I dare you!" Brio got up off the floor with glass on his face and looked at Neo with anger. Luckily none of the glass he fell in had any chemicals on it. The adrenaline prevented his stuttering but was probably on the brink on suffering another stroke.

"Aww has poor Neo gotten all emotional now? You really think I'm going to let you waste my life any longer? You think you still own this place the only thing you have to offer me is years of being treated like crap doing f-fuck all. You took credit for my machine! Despite everything I have done for you as well as saving your life!"

"Anyone could have done that."

"Really? Name one person who can halt liver failure." Neo did not answer. "Exactly, ME! That's who!"

"You never cured it though did you?!? Like I wanted you to."

"It wasn't exactly easy finding a donor for a fugitive." Brio started to head for the door.

"Hah, typical, you take one trip away from this place and you suddenly come back standing up for yourself for once, what's happened anyway?" Brio stopped and turned around.

"What _happened_ was is that I realised how much of a failure you really are, how much of my life I have wasted working with or for you."

"So where are you going to go now huh?!?"

"Somewhere where I won't be treated like shit."

"Ha, you really think that they 'respect' you? You idiot, they don't respect you at all, they also see you as a weak pushover, you always were from the day we first worked together. They're not your friends, I've even heard the Portoroos admit it, they think you're an even bigger joke than me, they don't care if we're gone, if we die, despite all that we have given them. You would be a right fool to leave here and go to those ungrateful failures."

"You really think they should be grateful? You have no idea what they are really like. Take Favourani for example, he's practically going insane with depression, he escapes the reality of being trapped here his whole life that he fantasises about being a godfather to a big mafia. He even secretly asked me for anti-depressants, he would probably kill me if he finds out I've told you. And Kong, Kong's become a huge drug addict, he really has you to thank for that doesn't he?"

"I think you are forgetting how determined you were when we first started using the evolvo-ray, you practically wanted to evolve every animal in sight!"

"But I never wanted to screw with their minds, make them slaves to your dead end dreams like 'Taking over the world'."

"Fine, go and live with them, It'll be interesting to see how long you last, just don't come crying back to me." Brio left the lab and noticed NGin had been listening from outside the lab as he went up the stairs.

"Just ignore him, I'm sure Pinstripe has a spare room for you to stay in." NGin said.

"Yeah and perhaps Crash and Crunch wouldn't mind helping me build a new home on NSanity or Xtreme island."

"You should probably have one of the medi-bots look at your face."

"I'll be fine, I'll be at Pinstripe's if you need me, I-I just can't b-be around here for now."


	29. Chapter 27

Brio stumbled to Pinstripe's door, Blaze was outside smoking a cigar that dropped out of his mouth when he saw Brio's state. Brio still had some glass stuck in his face, blood was pouring down his cheek and chin. "Bloody hec, Brio, what happened?"

"Oh its nothing."

"Sure don't look like nothing, you've just missed Meg."

"Oh good"

"Are you alright?"

"I've been worse. Is Pinstripe in?"

"Y-yeah," Blaze quickly opened the door. "Blaze! Its Brio, he's hurt!" Blaze came from the living room and Siegdog down the stairs.

"Man, Brio got pwned!" Siegdog said.

"Shit Brio, who did this?" Pinstripe asked.

"It's nothing really guys, just a little cut, that's all."

"Brio, there's glass in yer face! Tiff!?! Get the first aid!" Tiffany came running from the kitchen with a first aid kit.

"Should I call Meg?" Pinstripe asked.

"N-no, I d-don't want her to see me l-like this. Just push the medi-bot button on the phone." About a minute later a medi-bot turned up at the door. It attended to Brio and stitched his wounds and gave him some more pills that Brio quickly popped. The potoroos just stood there and watched.

"Neo can't get away with this!" Pinstripe said as the medi-bot was finishing.

"Please don't bother retaliating, it'll just make things worse. Look, I have a plan. I believe Tropy, Neo perhaps Uka are planning something really big. So me and NGin are going to pretend to work with them and make them think that we do not know about it."

"What's happened?" Blaze asked.

"I believe one of them is trying to expose the islands but NGin and Coco have been working on keeping us hidden and we need to make sure that Cortex or Tropy do not find out."

"Why would either of them want to do that?" Pinstripe asked.

"I'm not too sure but a lot of people will be wanting to find these islands if they find out that they were never destroyed."

"Them masks are still nowhere to be seen." Pinstripe said.

"Really? That _is_ odd, I guess they're the one's who will know the most."


	30. Chapter 28

The next day Crash and Coco were having lunch when Aku appeared outside. Only Crash noticed so he started snapping his fingers and pointing to a photo of Aku. He finally got his sister's attention and they both ran outside, but Aku did not have such a happy look on his plank.

"Where were you Aku? What was that explosion about? And where are the elementals?" Coco asked him. Aku looked gloomy at them.

"I am sorry bandicoots, If I could go back and stop this from happening, I would."

"What do you mean Aku?"

"We have been along side each other for a long time now, I am sorry but that time is coming to an end."

"You saying you're leaving?"

"I may not be leaving but I am no longer able to assist either of you as I used to."

"Why not?"

"I am not at liberty to say."

"Who is refusing you this liberty?"

"I am sorry but this is all I can say on this matter."

"But what was that explosion about the other day and where have the elementals gone?"

"That you will find out in time, after the metal bird has fallen." As usual, Crash and Coco looked at him puzzled.

"And what about the elementals, where are they?"

"Sadly they may not be able to assist Crunch either. All I can tell you for now is to do whatever Brio and NGin ask." Crash was standing behind Coco and gave Aku a certain look, Aku replied with a nod, Coco did not notice.

"I am sorry things have to be like this. I never meant to hurt any of you."

"What do you mean?"

"I must go now, we may meet again in the future. I am sorry."

"Sorry, sorry for what?" Aku then disappeared without another word.


	31. Chapter 29

Crunch was training with Tasha in the garden when Rok-ko came out from behind the trees.

"Hi Rok-ko" Tasha said.

"Hey Tash, Crunch."

"That's enough training for now Tash, why don't you go and get ready for dinner."

"Ok." Tasha went up the stairs and inside.

"Where the hell have you been?"

"I can't say, I'm sorry."

"What was with that explosion and earthquake?"

"Beyond mah powers mon."

"Why didn't any of you respond?"

"I can't tell you much Crunch, but what I can tell you is this, there be great dark times upon us we fear that the beginning of the end is getting closer, there's not much we can do but prepare. You no longer have to worry about being our guardian no more, we be goin somewhere where none of what is to come will matter."

"What, you're leaving?"

"It seems that way mon, but there is a chance that we will be at your disposal, there be no telling how bad things are to come."

"What things? What's gonig to happen."

"I'm sorry mon, I not be at liberty to say."

"Just how bad is it?" Crunch moved closer and lowered his voice "is it… is it worse than Crimzon?"

"Much, much worse Crunch, think about where Crimzon come from in the first place," Rok-ko then looked past Crunch and his eyes widened is fear. Crunch noticed and spun around to see nothing there. "I'm sorry mon but I have to go back with the other elementals now, hopefully we shall meet again." Rok-ko then disappeared before Crunch had a chance to ask him another question.


	32. Chapter 30

**2008**

Tropy had taken more interest in Neo's experiments and was working on something new with him. NGin and Brio were pretending to kind of be on Neo's side again by modifying the Morpho Ray with a 'copy' mode where the two subjects would be on separate tables next to each other. The machine would then either; turn one of the subjects into the other, turn them both into one another and/or make them one anthro. Tropy had also been spending a lot of time either in his room or on the east of island and keeping his door locked at all times. NGin, and Coco were able to make it possible to use the internet and watch television without worrying about being traced. They were also able to create a fake weather system that would show up on satellite imaging as a huge, never ending storm in the south Tasman Sea. Nina and Josh were able to avoid Mideline's spying and have a more intimate relationship instead of what Amberly asked. The younger anthros were all now teenagers with tommy being the oldest. Brio had still not decided on what to do about his brain tumour.

Ripper Roo was gagged and had his arms and feet tied together behind his back on a single rope that also suspended him above the cavern floor outside the dog temple entrance. Blood was dripping off his knees, his legs and main body were covered in bruises. Tropy entered the cavern. He propped up a ladder next to Ripper Roo and took off the gag.

"So Ripper Roo, remind again how long you have been refusing to cooperate?" Ripper Roo started to shake violently.

"One year, two month, four dayth, theventeen hourth, twenty-four minutth and thirty-two thecondth. HA HA HAAAAAA!!!!" Ripper Roo replied with tears streaming down his face.

"One year, two months, four days, seventeen hours, twenty-four and thirty-two seconds, that sounds about right. That has to be the longest anyone has ever lasted. So, have you thought about changing your mind? Or will you need a bit more… persuasion?"

"HA HA HHHHAAA *cough* *cough* P-probably."

"Oh you do do you? Very well then." Tropy stepped down the ladder and got a pair of blood stained pliers from Neo's tool box. He held the pliers with his left arm (metal one) and placed it on his last remaining claw.

"No no no noooo, pleath thtop!" Riper Roo pleaded shaking his head.

"Don't you see Ripper Roo? You can make me stop whenever you want to, just tell me the rest of what you know."

"HA HA HHHHAAAA You MORON! you-you have no idea what youth done!"

"Really, what do you think I have done then?"

"Ohhhhhh itth too late now! And onthe he findth out that you're the one behind it, boy will you be running HA HAAAA!!!! And you'll never thtop!!!!! HA HA HAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!"

"Once WHO finds out what?"

"HAAAA HA HA HHAA You can't run from the patht forever HA HAA HAAA!!!!!"

"Tell me who dammit?!?"

"Fffuck you!"

"*sigh*. You know kangaroo I have often been quite fond of 20th Century music and one of my favourite has to be this one." Tropy stepped down from the ladder and put a tape in a casstte player he had brought earlier. He turned the volume up and Joey Tempest's 'The Final Countdown' started playing. He then walked over to Ripper Roo and placed the pliers on Ripper Roo's claw again tightening his grip before he yanked it out. Ripper Roo's scream was drowned out by the music as Tropy continued to beat him.


	33. Chapter 31

**A week later.**

A cargo plane was flying in the middle of the afternoon over the Tasman Sea from Melbourne, Australia to Kingston, Norfolk Island. There was a pilot, Shaun and two passengers, one was Jake with messy dark brown hair, bright green eyes and wearing brown shorts and white t-shirt with a metal briefcase handcuffed to him, napping under a South African bush hat. The other was a Lion sleeping next to him but was not in a cage or restrained in any way. The rest of the plane was filled with boxes and crates. The plane was experiencing a bit of turbulence that woke up Jake. "How long have we got now?" Jake asked Shaun.

"About another hour or so."

"Hear that boy?" he said to the lion. "Just another hour now ok." The lion just replied with a faint moan. Jake was just getting back to sleep when a beep came from his bulky briefcase. The moment he noticed he jumped up from his seat and quickly unlocked and opened it to reveal a white crystal cushioned neatly inside. He then grabbed a hand held device next to it with a screen that looked a bit like a heart rate monitor. The reading showed a bright green line on a dark back round with a very distinctive peak in it. "Could it finally be?" he thought to himself. He quickly ran over to his pilot with the crystal and device in each hand. "Shaun, can you do me a favour?

"*sigh* what now."

"I just need you to turn the plane around for me ok"

"What, changed your mind?"

"No I just need you to go in a circle that's all."

"Ok but if we start to run short of fuel YOU are to take responsibility ok?"

"Don't worry we have plenty on board."

"But that's- never mind." Shaun then turned the plane around while Jake was pacing up down the plane holding up the crystal. Suddenly the crystal lit up for a brief second.

"Yes!" he shouted as it glowed again.

"What is it?" Shaun asked.

"Oh nothing." He replied. Jake then paced faster moving the crystal from side to side. The plane had by now turned 180 degrees. Jake then ran to the cockpit and carefully looked out of the window.

"What you looking for?" Shaun asked.

"Never you mind ok."

"Ok, as always, mystery man," The turbulence suddenly started to pick up a bit. "This turbulence is unusual, there should be more clouds and we don't seem to be in or near any jet streams." He continued the 360 degree turn but then the crystal lit up again but lasted a second or so longer than the last one.

"Hey Shaun!" Jake shouted from the back of the plane, the lion was now awake at his companion's behaviour.

"Yes?" Shaun replied.

"Turn the plane again!"

"What, again?"

"Yes!"

"Why?"

"I'll explain later just do it but bank to left this time."

"Ok, whatever you say man." This time as he did he was shocked to see a massive circular cloud starting to approach from the left of his channel of vision. "What the flaming hell! The morning glory?!? Out here!?! And it's not even morning!" But Shaun noticed something very different about it, it seemed darker than usual and instead of going in a straight line from one horizon to another it seemed to shallowly curve round further to the left and lightning seemed to be flashing from within it.

"Fly into it!" Jake shouted.

"What are you crazy?!? I ain't going near that, in all the years of flying I have never seen it like this before, and it looks dangerous! I'm turning us around and we stick to the route we were on!"

"Just fly into it! We'll be fine ok!"

"No dammit, we could get killed! The turbulence is bad enough already, I can't imagine what it'll be like in there!"

"You don't understand, I have to get closer!"

"Closer? Closer to what? It's to do with that crystal thing you got there isn't it? I've always wondered what it was you had in that case. What, is there something on the other side of that cloud? Have you been here before?"

"No, it's strictly need-to-know ok. Just fly into it we'll be fine, trust me."

"I'm sorry mate but if you want me to risk our lives by flying into that thing then you're gonna have to tell me what the hell for." Shaun then started to bank the plane away from the cloud.

"Ok ok! Look it's a long story, basically it may have something to do with this crystal, an event that happened in this region in the late eighties and the Philadelphia Experiment. I'll tell you everything when we get there just please please fly into it."

"Philadelphia Experiment?!? How is this the time for urban myths? You're starting to sound a little crazy mate, you sure you're not suffering from altitude sickness? And what do you mean 'get there'? get where?"

"Please bru I don't want to lose my patience, just do as I ask please, we may never get a chance like this again!" Shaun the looked at him suspiciously and thought about it for a while.

"Ok fine but only because I trust you and we're good mates and because there's always a first time for everything isn't there?" Shaun then turned the plane back towards the large cylinder like cloud.

"Thanks mate, I know, fly along side it and enter in diagonally."

"Yeah that might be best if there's a current, but let's just hope it'll be going in the same direction as us or will be in even more trouble." As Shaun flew the plane closer to the cloud the two of them noticed that it was in fact swirling clockwise. The crystal was glowing more rapidly now.

"Yes, yes! Don't die on me now please!" Jake shouted to the crystal.

"I still don't know what the hell you're on about mate."

"All in good time bru, all in good time." The plane had now fully entered the cloud and was revealed to be hollow, so it was like the plane had entered a massive tube. The lion was fully awake and looking outside a window, he then started to panic and tried to get Jake's attention by nudging him. "I know you're scared boy but I have to do this ok." The lion shook his head violently in response as if he was trying to tell him something. "I'm sorry but it's too late now; I can't let this opportunity go to waste!"

"Man, I still don't know what it is between you two."

"Another story for another day my friend." The plane was again picking up more turbulence.

"Hey you two may want to buckle down, I'm not sure how long we'll be in here for." Jake then started to strap the lion to a row of seats on one side of the plane.

"Sorry mate but it's for your own safety alright." The lion just growled in response. Once he finished he ran to the cockpit for a front row seat.

"Wow, I've never seen anything like this before". Shaun said. The lion was getting a glimpse of what the plane was heading through as he tried to see what was going on. He then roared loudly. "Its ok I'm still here bru, just try to relax ok." Jake said to him.

"Dude, shouldn't you have sedated him for the ride? Transport can be quite traumatizing for animals can't they?"

"With Toba here, I doubt it, he's had to deal with much worse than this."

"Really? That must have been one hell of a ride."

"Well there was this one time when we were being chased in the bush by armed poachers firing their guns at us, and we were travelling at over 60mph in 4x4s with the suspension starting to give out."

"So this should be nothing then?"

"It _should_ be, he had also already taken a bullet, we were both very lucky in the end."

"Sounds like you two have been through a lot then?" Jake responded with a nod. As the plane was going through the cloud Jake and Shaun both noticed that the sides of the cloud had lighting shooting forwards on the left side of the tunnel and backwards on the right.

"Nnnnnnnno!" the lion suddenly shouted under his roar. This startled Shaun and tried to look back at the lion. Jake shook his head in disappointment.

"Mate, did he just do what I think he did?"

"Afraid so bru, _despite_ the agreement we had earlier. (Glanced back at the lion) It's not the first time either.

"What? But… how, he's not mutated at all?!?"

"That will hopefully be answered once find what I'm looking for."

"What ARE you looking for?"

"A small group of islands that were supposedly wiped out about twenty years ago and I've been asked to find them."

"You never fail to confuse and yet amaze me you know that?" Jake did not respond and just kept on glaring out of the cockpit window with determination. "I think I'll go a bit closer to the middle." Shaun then raised the plane so it was directly in the middle of the tube. The swirling of the cloud seemed to get faster. Suddenly the three of them were almost blinded by a sequence of lighting bolts that struck the plane giving it bursts of violent turbulence. The crystal was now starting to light up more often and giving off a humming noise.

"Man I don't know about this." Shaun said worryingly.

"It's ok, any moment now."

"What?"

"Just hold tight!" All of a sudden the two of them felt the plane shoot forward pushing them into their chairs and the skin on their cheeks start to stretch like in those simulators that astronauts use for entering the earth's atmosphere.

"WHAT'S HAPPENING?!" Shaun shouted.

"I'm not to sure myself to be honest but we're not the only ones who will have done it."

"What happened to the last people?"

"Their journey was cut by about an hour or so, that's all."

"So just what IS this?"

"I guess you could call it a wormhole, only it's on earth and not in space."

"A WORMHOLE?!? Do you even know where or even WHEN this is going?!?"

"Not really, but hopefully it get us closer to finding answers, oh there's something else. I should probably tell you."

"What now, it better be good!" The expression of Jake's face told him otherwise. "Just tell me now before things get any worse!"

"Well you know back at the airport I went to speak with the guys in the control room?"

"Yeah when you went to get a slot for us to take off right?"

"Well I may have really been authorising a ghost flight."

"GHOST FLIGHT?!? So NO ONE knows that we're out here?!?"

"No my people have a rough idea but I didn't exactly give them a timeline or exact details."

"DAMMIT JAKE!! I have family!!! What if something happens?!? Why the hell did you authorise that?!?"

"I had no choice because there are some people in this world who would do anything and everything to stop my people from finding the islands, even if it means using your family to get to you to get to me which is why I have made it look like you're already at Norfolk Island. And I couldn't exactly tell you at the airport could I? Because I knew you would react like you are now and would not take me. You just need to see it the same way as I do, see it as an opportunity to experience something that hardly anyone alive has experienced before."

"Hardly anyone alive?!? You saying people died doing this before?"

"No, just disappeared, no wreckage has ever been found, yet. And anyway that one was natural, as far as I know."

"Was this at the Bermuda Triangle?"

"May have been." Jake mumbled

"I can't hear you!"

"YES! Ok, it was."

"Oh yeah, The Bermuda Triangle, the place where over a hundred ships and planes have gone missing without a trace and hear I am about to enter something similar, now I've got nothing to worry about, cheers mate," Shaun said as he shook his head in disappointment. "And what do you mean by 'natural'?"

"I believe this one may be man-made."

"Man-made? How could Man make this?"

"Well you've heard of the Philadelphia Experiment right?"

"I heard it was something some guy made up."

"Yes but the method and theory mentioned may have been very real, I'll explain it later, but first I need you to concentrate on keeping us in the air for now."

"Like I'm gonna find that easy now after finding out that we are currently in something that may or may not be man made AND has the potential to rip us apart or make us disappear off the face of the earth even more than we already have. Yeah, flying's going to be really pips now wont it?"

"Like I said before, see it as a once in lifetime experience."

"But this may be the last experience we ever have!" Shaun looked at the speedometer and noticed it looked like it was going to snap off past the top speed mark. "Bloody hell! Look how fast we're going! The plane could never go this fast on its own, even if it were nose-diving! What _answers_ are you looking for anyway, Why not answer questions that are really important such as 'Why have women stopped getting pregnant and why did every single woman who was already pregnant have miscarriages?' 'Or why have animals been mutating?' Not chasing a theory that some nut job conspiracy theorist came up with."

"Well maybe there's a chance that those important questions will be answered once we get there." The plane then hit more turbulence. *SNAP! PING! BANG!*

"What the hell was that?!?" Shaun demanded. Jake looked back to the cargo and Toba

"You ok boy?"

"*Moan*" Toba replied with a dirty look.

"Well?" Shaun asked.

"A crate's come loose that's all."

"If anything's broken it's coming out of your pocket alright?"

"_taxpayer's more like_." Jake said under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing. Hey look I think that's the end over there." The two now noticed the tube cloud was curving a bit to the left and what looked like the inside of a concave or the inside of a cone end. The plane by now must have been travelling well over 300mph and got even faster as they approached the end.

The plane shot out the mid point of the cone into open sky. They were now out of the tube and in a huge thunderstorm. Day had turned to night. The plane then finally started to slow down to its original speed."

"Man, that was… different. Now I need get us through this storm," Shaun said as he looked out the window. "Hey is that an island?" Jake loosened his buckle a bit to have a look.

"That might be what I'm looking for, see if you can find somewhere to land."

"It's a good thing this is one of the few cargo planes to have retractable water landing gear."

*BANG! Chug chug chug BANG! Chug chug chug!* Went the engines giving off black smoke. "Shit! Just what I didn't want to happen! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT JAKE! Dammit! Now I'm gonna have to crash land… again!"

"Then you shouldn't have any problem this time, maybe try to crash land on a beach or something."

"I know I know! I know what to do ok! I'll have to glide us down." Shaun flicked the switch for the landing gear. BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! A red warning blinked with the beeping. "Oh no no nooo! Dammit why the fuck does shit keep happening to me?!?"

"What's happened?"

"Looks like one of those lightning strikes blew one of the connections to the right float. DAMMIT! Right *sigh*, In order for us to stay in the air and land safely we're gonna have to lose some weight and you're gonna have to lower the landing float manually, I think the crank is located under that fallen crate. You see that harness? Should be hanging just behind me on the other side of the cockpit divider." Jake unbuckled and looked round behind the divider.

"Yeah"

"It's secured to the plane so you may want to put it on for when I open up the back so you don't fall out." Shaun turned on a light in the cargo hold as Jake put on the harness, after he had done so Shaun opened the loading door at the back. Jake now had another view of the island and noticed it was in fact one of many, but he could only just make them out in the dark sky. "Jake! JAKE!" Shaun shouted to get his attention. "This is no time for sightseeing! Start moving that fallen crate to the back, it should be empty but it's still heavy." Jake didn't say anything. He double checked Toba's straps then struggled to get the crate moving at first but with final a big shove the crate was flying through the air. He then found the manual override for the float and began turning it, it was a little stiff at first but he eventually got it going.

"Need you to be quicker than that mate!"

"I going as fast as I can!" he said as his breath was shortening. SNAP! Jake suddenly stopped, looked at the now detached crank handle and then at Shaun. He got up and walked over to him.

"Hey errr you don't happen to have a spare do you?" Jake said holding out the broken handle.

"OH FOR CRAP'S SAKE! UGH!!!" Shaun shouted in frustration. He then frantically looked around the floor in the cabin before reaching for something under his seat. "Here use this spanner, it's all we've got left!" Jake took the spanner and continued to lower the float. He was three quarters done when the plane started to descend more quickly.

"Jake?!"

"Yeah?"

"Forget it, that'll have to do, you're better off in the front with me, I would also recommend putting your friend there back in the animal crate." Jake looked Toba who was clearly upset about the situation they were now in.

"Well Toba what do you think? Shaun's right, you probably would be safer in the crate." Jake undid the straps and opened up the flap at one end of the box. Toba slowly went inside with a moan. He then joined Shaun in the cockpit and had another look at the crystal, it was no longer glowing but had gone back to its original clear quartz. "Oh come on don't do this to me now!" he said to it and started moving about trying to get it to glow again. The plane was now less than 100ft high, Shaun had it lined up with the Island coast line.

"You may want to put on that helmet mate."

"Ok" Jake grabbed the helmet and quickly put it on.

"BRACE! BRACE! BRACE!" Shaun shouted and Jake quickly rapped his arms around his neck and bent over tucking his head in-between his legs. The plane was still travelling well over a hundred miles per hour as it came crashing down into the surf. Shaun was struggling to keep it under control, lights were flashing, noises were beeping. The last thing Shaun saw were huge rocks on the beach in front of him before the plane smashed into them.


	34. Chapter 32

Tropy and Brio were in their studies when they saw the plane falling out of the sky from their windows. It was raining heavily and the afternoon had been turned to night by the storm. They both met each other at the castle yard when they were heading towards where the plane crashed. Tropy had a black umbrella and four assistants with him. Brio had a green rain jacket and hood that covered his forehead. "Going somewhere?" Tropy asked Brio. Brio popped some more pills before answering.

"I might be, it's not of your concern though is it?"

"I saw it too."

"Saw what?"

"Do not think I am stupid! I know that your study has the same view over the islands as mine so I know you saw the plane crashing as well."

"What do you intend to do?"

"Never you mind."

"Do have any idea as to what is at risk here?"

"Yes I do, all the more reason for _me_ to go and check for any survivors."

"And if there are any?"

"Then I will bring them here, maybe they can be new test subjects." Brio looked at him suspiciously before heading back to the castle. Brio often feared Tropy because he was aware of what he was capable of when he got angry.


	35. Chapter 33

The plane had crashed into rocks on a beach on the east of Island. Jake woke up to see Shaun was still unconscious. Jake still had the white crystal in his hand, it had changed colour again to neon. Jake unbuckled and checked Shaun's pulse and was satisfied that he was just knocked out and did not appear to be wounded. He went into the cargo hold to see how Toba was.

"Toba?" There was no response. The crate he was in had flipped on the side with the entrance flap. He heaved the crate onto its side so he could get in and check on the lion. Like Shaun, Toba was also knocked out. He closed the crate and went out through the loading ramp. Luckily there were no fires on the plane. The storm was still raging on with a distant dark blue sky beyond the storm's horizon. Jake looked around, all he saw was the sea and the jungle in front of the mountain. He checked the plane's condition, the plane was lodged in between to huge boulders, both wings were badly damaged and one of the propeller engines was missing. He held up the glowing crystal observing where it got brighter and more active. He decided to climb up the plane's wing to get a higher view point. The crystal was now glowing as bright as a star almost blinding Jake, he now realised that he had found the place he had been searching for over fifteen years. He was standing up on the plane's tail using a big dent to prop himself up when his hair stood up on end and felt a strange tingling sensation all over him. He then realised what had just happened, the crystal had been conducting energy from the storm and was about to discharge. Before Jake had a chance to react a mega-lightning bolt struck the crystal going straight through him and the plane. He was thrown unconscious to the ground. The crystal had become the quartz it once was and lying in the sand as dead as Jake.

The lightning flash of thunder woke up Shaun and Toba. Shaun looked around and went outside he saw Jake lying in the sand and ran over to him.

"Shit, Jake what happened?" He did not respond. He noticed Jake's appearance had changed, his hair had become messy and there was now a white streak of hair going from his forehead to the back of his neck. Shaun opened his eyes to see one his left one had turned a almost grey, the other one was still green and tiny pupils in both.

"Jake!?!" As there was no response Shaun went back to check on Toba.

"Hey, you alright?" He said peeping through the air holes. Toba was moving but did not respond. "Hey I know you can talk now, so don't bother pretending anymore."

"I'm fine."

"Why, how the hec can ya talk?"

"I'm just as clueless as you to be honest. Jake?! Where is he, is he alright?"

"Here, let me get you out," Shaun opened the flap and Toba quickly looked for Jake.

"Where is he?!" He demanded.

"He's outside, looks like something happened to him though. He's just unconscious but we will need to keep an eye on him and get him to a hospital in case he has any internal injuries." Toba ran outside and went up to his friend's body with Shaun following. "So, have you had the ability to talk since birth?"

"Actually only about a year now, he told me he knew since I was just a cub. One day while in the bush he said we had some trouble with poachers, when he had killed most of them he said a leftover sharpshooter got me in the neck. After killing him he took me straight to a vet, the wound got badly infected and the vets had never seen an infection like it before. I was put in quarantine for months, they put me on antibiotics until the swelling in my throat had gone. I had been unconscious the whole time, and then when I woke up I could talk, read and understand everything the humans were saying. Luckily only a handful of vets and Jake had noticed, he then made them all sign an official secrets acts from the UN and South African government, you're likely going to have to sign one too when you get back."

"What is Jake anyway, is he some sort of government agent?"

"Sort of, but he was mainly a mercenary and ever since we met he's spent most of his time with me. We've gotten close, Jake is really the only one who was there for me when I re-birthed or woke up. I can't remember anything of my life before I woke up at the vet's surgery."

"It's weird."

"What is?"

"Your voice, it sounds so…human. I mean there's no like, animal like accent or anything. I would have thought you would sound different because the shape of your skull and mouth is so different to ours and wouldn't a talking lion have a very deep voice?"

"That's what everybody else said. I knew going into that storm was a bad idea. Hey where are we anyway?"

"I don't know, I'll go have a look around. It'll be best to stay here and keep an eye on Jake, let me know if he wakes up."

"Ok" Shaun went around the boulders and on top of the plane to have a look around. The storm had finally stopped just as suddenly as it started. He heard the sound of an engine and ran around the wreckage to see what it was. A small motor boat was heading towards the shore from the north, he could only just make out the silhouette of tall five tall men and the tallest had something moving on his shoulders. He waved his arms trying to get the driver's attention. The boat slowed down and rested on the shore. Shaun went up to Tropy and was unsurprisingly shocked to see a tall blue skinned man with some sort of steam engine on his back and a metal arm. Shaun didn't say a word, just froze.

"Scary is it not? Who are you and what the hell brought you here?" Tropy demanded.

"…. I-I, my name is Shaun I was flying to Kingston when my passenger decided to take a detour."

"Passenger, How many are with you?"

"Just me, Jake and Toba who's a lion. We could really do with some help because no one knows we're out here."

"Really? Where are the other passengers?"

"They're just round the front of the plane, Jake's knocked out and needs medical attention."

"Let me see them."

"Sure, this way," As Shaun turned around he heard the sound of a gun being cocked. He stopped and turned around slowly staring into the barrel of a gun that Tropy was pointing at him. "wha-what's going on?" Tropy didn't say a word.

The shot was hidden under the sound of thunder.

Toba had just seen the whole thing happen, he ducked by some rocks and tried to stay hidden while he thought on how to take them out but one of the bobs had been scanning the area and found him. The bob pointed to the rock, Tropy got out his big fork and gestured to the bob to get him. As the bob went round the rock it disappeared in less than blink with the sound of metal crushing and electronics buzzing. The rest of the bobs charged up their hands as they went to surround Toba. Toba was only able to take one more bob out before getting stunned by another one, he hit the ground shaking violently. Tropy went up to him and grabbed his head with his left arm and brought his fork round under Toba's neck then placed his knee on the back of his head. Toba was trying to struggle but Tropy was overpowering him.

"*ROA-*" *CRACK!* Tropy released the lion's body dropping him to the ground. He turned to the remaining lab asisstants.

"Leave the pilot, just take the two passengers back to Cortex's lab and await further instructions." The robots followed Tropy's orders and loaded the bodies onto the boat. Tropy went into to the plane to find their personal belongings. He found Shaun's passport then opened a rucksack by the co-pilot's seat, inside he found a gun and many passports belonging to Jake. One from The United States of America, South Africa, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, China, Russia, France, Sweden and Canada. There was also an ID badge from the UN and a CIA one from the Pentagon. Tropy took the bag and got back on the boat then returned to the castle island.


	36. Chapter 34

Tropy entered Neo's study.

"Neo?" Neo came out from behind his rebuilt machine. He had converted the Evolvo-Ray, Morpho-Ray, Combination Ray, Termination Ray and Cortex Vortex into one big machine. It had rotating nozzles for each ray suspended above the subject tables. Brio was working with beakers and test tubes at a workbench on the side of the room. NGin was in his lab working on new prototypes.

"What now I'm busy."

"I have our first subjects ready, but two of them are longer living."

"Fantastic, and what about that thing you seem to be working on?" Neo asked.

"It is ready." Tropy said as Brio turned around and walked over to the two of them.

"Which one is alive?" Brio asked.

"The passenger, I left the pilot at the crash site."

"I hope NGin's fixed the shield." Neo said.

"He must have been transporting the lion to a zoo." Brio said.

"What did you say it does?" Neo asked Tropy.

"I have not yet. This has the details and instructions to explain everything." Tropy handed Neo and Brio thin A4 sized booklets. They both read them thoroughly; Brio shook his head after the first few pages popped more painkillers and gave it back to Tropy.

"You really have lost it now Tropy. Telekinesis, you're crazy! There is no evidence that it truly exists."

"Really? What about Jaseo Bilby and Madame Amberly?" Tropy replied.

"That's different, Jaseo has a mutated increase in the amount of electricity that his body would naturally produce and Amberly has completely metal hands that discharge electricity."

"Yes but how do you think it is controlled?"

"Yes I know they must be controlled by neurological nerves passing through the arm the from the CNS and brain but this is remote connection, as in lifting up an object just by looking at it."

"Nikola Tesla was able to illuminate light bulbs by the transmission of particles through the air, this experiment will be about magnifying physiological energy from one living thing to another object or being."

"But Tesla's machines were about coils and incredible amounts of energy, and I doubt it will be possible to convert physiological energy into physical energy."

"That is what my upgrade to the Vortex will achieve." Tropy said. Neo was still reading the manual smiling with impression.

"And even if it does work how do you know the subject will not turn against us like all the others have. There is not one machine that can completely define will power indefinitely. The technology that Neo used on past subjects back-fired and there is now not one that chooses to work with any of us, probably because some of them remember what they did when they were under his control" Neo finished reading the last page.

"I think it is one of the best ideas we have ever come up with." Neo finally said.

"I think you two are mad. I do not want anything to do with it. And anyway I promised Meg that I would stop using the evolvo-ray after Ernest." Neo looked surprised.

"Stop using the evolvo-ray? But you love using it. But you used to evolve any animal you came across. What's happened to you Brio?"

"After spending more time away from the castle I have finally realised the damage we have all caused."

"Oh come on Brio, why after all these years do you only start thinking about _ethics_ now? They're just stupid, primitive beasts."

"These machines change that. You have no idea what they are actually like, you've never actually spent time with them like I have and realised the effect it can have on some of them."

"I knew going to those Potoroos was a mistake. You never used to be like this at all. You're just no longer as much of a visionary as us Brio, just think of the possibilities. If someone had the power that machine could give they could make entire armies flee in horror! Countries would be at our feet in a matter of hours!" Neo said. Brio shook his head as he turned away.

"If you have a problem doing these experiments now then why did you help rebuild and upgrade the evolvo-ray?" Tropy asked.

"It's personal."

"Is it to do with that visit of yours to Sydney and removing those bolts in your head?" Neo asked.

"Yes and that is all I am going to say about it." NGin and Bob with three lab assistants entered the lad carrying Jake and Toba.

"Ah the test subjects, put one on each table." Neo said. The lab assistants placed them each on a table and secured them down with metal clamps.

"What are you lot up to now? NGin asked.

"Our new experiment." Neo replied.

"_My_ new experiment." Tropy said.

"Are they alive?" Brio asked.

"Both subjects are not responding." Bob replied.

"What?!? How? The human was still alive when we found him! What happened?" Tropy demanded.

"It appears the human suffered cardiac arrest." Bob answered.

"Great, now we are going to have to find another test subject for _my_ first experiment!" Tropy moaned.

"Bad luck Tropy, but we can still do our own human-animal morphing like Amberly did once, even though they're dead." Neo replied. Brio grinned with a bit of satisfaction that Tropy's experiment will not go ahead.

"*sigh* I better do the back-round checks on them anyway, we still have internet do we not Brio?" Tropy asked.

"Yes."

"So have you fixed the turbine?" Neo asked NGin.

"I haven't really got round to it."

"It's been nearly a year now!"

"Oh has it, time really flies these days here don't they?"

"Lazy sod." Neo said. Tropy then left for the comms room, closing the door behind him. Outside the caslte, Aku and Uka then appeared at one of the lab's windows behind the scientists.

"What are you doing here brother?" Uka asked.

"Like you, I felt a strong sense about this outsider and decided to see what Neo and possibly you are planning next."

"Neo is on his own now."

"Right, put your goggles on. Bob, activate the Copy-ray!" Neo said, they all put the goggles on and Bob went up to the machine and turned it on. Lights on the machine lit up with a loud hum then the nozzle on each ray turned a bright yellow. A loud beam shot out of the Copy-ray turning the whole lab a blinding white. When it finally subsided they all noticed the human was still the same as before. They all took off their goggles,

"Oh well, better luck next time Neo." Brio said. Megumi then came running into the lab.

"Brio?!? I thought you said you were never going to use the machine again!"

"_I _didn't. I just sort of helped rebuild it that's all, It's ok Meg, the subjects were already dead, we just wanted to see if the copy-ray worked."

"They were already dead?" She asked.

"Yes."

"Promise?"

"Yes." Megumi went up to Toba and tested for any life then when up to Jake.

"Failed again! NGin, I thought you said the machine was fixed."

"The original machines were, this new Copy-Ray may need a bit of work though." NGin replied.

"Why didn't you tell me it wasn't ready?!?"

"That was what I was going to tell you but I didn't want to ruin the moment. You looked so excited," Brio and Meg grinned. "The copy-ray only needs another a few minor adjustments, that's all."

"And perhaps another energy crystal I think I still have a spare one around here somewhere, help me look for it." Neo said. Only Bob and the lab asisstants helped Neo look for it while Meg examined Jake and Toba.

"What were you intending to do anyway?" NGin asked.

"Tropy wanted to give this guy telekinesis."

"Who is he?" Megumi asked.

"Tropy's finding out now." Brio said. As Megumi moved closer to Jake's face his eyes suddenly burst open. Before she had a chance to say or do anything Jake broke free of the right arm clamp and grabbed her throat and started to choke her. The scientists turned around at the sound of the metal snapping and froze.

"*choke* Brio, I th-thought you said he was d-dead."

"I did, Bob-" Bob suddenly seemed to shut down and restart.

"System diagnostics confirm that there was previously a system error in the senses detection processor." Bob said.

"It appears that you all thought wrong." Jake said.

"P-please don't hurt her" Brio pleaded.

"Give me one reason not to by first telling me what the fuck is going on!"

"We thought you were dead so we thought we would use the copy-ray on you." Neo replied.

"Copy-Ray? Copied from what?" Jake demanded. Meg then looked over to Toba on the other table. Jake followed her eyes and saw Toba's body.

"Toba!" Jake threw Meg into Brio's arms and she hugged him tightly in fear. *CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!*. Jake broke free of the other clamps. They all watched as Jake went over to Toba.

"Toba?!?" Jake said as he checked him for life. He soon discovered his neck was broken. He slowly turned and glared at the others with intense anger. He went up to Neo and held him by the throat as he pushed him through the opposite window to which Aku and Uka were and held him over the long descent to the sea.

"You killed him!" Jake shouted.

"N-no we didn't, we were told he was also dead." Neo replied.

"Then why the fuck is his neck broken?"

"Perhaps from the crash?"

"He was still alive when we crash-landed! Which one of you cunts killed him?!?"

"T-Tropy f-found him!" Brio said.

"What did you just say?!?" Jake said as he turned around.

"T-Tropy, h-he was the one who brought him to us!" Jake shook his head as if trying to snap out of a bad dream.

"You better not be lying to me!" He then threw Neo across the floor of the lab. Neo slowly got up. "Where is he?!?" Jake demanded.

"H-he's in the comms room." Brio said.

"And where's Shaun, my pilot?" Brio popped some more pills.

"Only you and Toba were brought here." Brio answered. Jake started to lose focus and any feeling around his body.

"What the hell is happening to me, why have I gone numb?!?" Jake demanded.

"It must be the machine." NGin replied.

"You're ganna fucking pay for this. You're all dead!" Jake swayed a little before slowly dropping to his knees and just managed to grab Brio.

"I would kill you but I sense you are already dying," Jake said. They all watched as he finally descended to the floor. He was crouching down then slowly rose again with a very emotionless look on his face. "I have something to tell you."

"What?" Meg asked. He looked at Aku and Uka then stared directly past Neo, NGin, Bob, Brio and Megumi to the door, his lips mouthed something but nobody inside the room heard what it was. He then passed out on the floor.

(And that's part one. PLEASE R+R!!!!!!!!! it's been up for ages and still I have no idea what people think of it)


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